


My Fire Was Fate With You

by bisexualdisastervibes



Series: My Story Starts and Ends With You [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Badass Lin Beifong, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Sex, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Trauma, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:33:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 72,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27358072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualdisastervibes/pseuds/bisexualdisastervibes
Summary: Kya and Lin have always had a close relationship, but what happens when they grow closer than ever before? How will the women react when old feelings resurface, bringing new love and conflict?AKA The Kyalin content we all deserve that Nickelodeon was too afraid to give usAll chapters with mature content have warnings so you can skip if neededA/N: There are mentions of suicide and PTSD in later chapters, those will be marked with appropriate warningsFollow me on Instagram @bidisastervibes for updates! I'll be trying to interact with y'all on there :D
Relationships: Asami Sato & Kya II, Bumi II & Kya II (Avatar), Jinora & Kya II (Avatar), Korra & Kya II (Avatar), Lin Beifong & Mako, Lin Beifong & Pema, Lin Beifong & Saikhan, Lin Beifong & Suyin Beifong, Lin Beifong & Suyin Beifong & Toph Beifong, Lin Beifong & Tenzin, Lin Beifong/Kya II, Pema/Tenzin (Avatar)
Series: My Story Starts and Ends With You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1998079
Comments: 142
Kudos: 186





	1. Here's To New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> After my one-shot Our Love Makes Us Whole took off, I knew I had to keep writing more about these two soft lesbians. This is how their story began and they discovered true love for the first time.

The sun shined through the windows, shining golden light onto the skin of the sleeping woman. Lin opened her emerald green eyes, squinting as the light shined directly into her eyes. The metal bender yawned and stood up, putting on a simple white tank top. For once, the police chief had a free day, which she was planning on using to finally get some chores done around the apartment. 

Lin went into her living room, deciding to turn the radio on while she made breakfast and tea. The earthbender prepared some tea, bringing the water to a soft boil in a teapot. She hummed along to the radio, enjoying the music as she turned on the stove to prepare her breakfast. The earthbender opened the fridge, cursing when she realized that her fridge was emptying. She grabbed a plate from her cabinets, putting the rice and eggs onto the ceramic. Lin then poured the tea into a small mug and grabbed the newspaper in her hallway. The police chief sat down with her breakfast and ate while reading the news. 

After finishing up her food, Lin decided to go ahead and do the dishes. She hummed along to the radio as she scrubbed the dishes clean. She then glanced at the mess in her living room. During the week, she never had free time and as a result, her apartment was almost always a mess. She sighed and picked up her dirty clothes off the floor, throwing them in her washing machine. 

The police chief spent the rest of the morning cleaning up her apartment, making sure everything was spotless. When she finished, she looked at her clean space, feeling some stress melt away. Lin then changed into simple black pants and a snug white shirt. She threw on a jacket, not knowing how cold it was outside. She grabbed a pair of sunglasses, hoping they would provide her with at least some anonymity. 

Lin made her way to one of the largest markets in the city. Children ran past her and adults stood in conversation. Her training wouldn’t let her fully relax, she mentally marked an exit strategy and kept an eye on the crows. She went over to the stands, grabbing some groceries. Lin grabbed some noodles, meat, fruit and vegetables, not knowing when she would be able to shop again. As she paid for her food, she heard a familiar voice cry out, “Lin? Is that you?”  
Lin turned around, feeling her heart rate pick up. One of her oldest friends ran towards her and wrapped her in a hug. “It’s so good to see you Lin!” Kya exclaimed.

Lin smiled, ignoring how her heart fluttered slightly. “It’s good to see you too Kya. How have you been?” she asked, handing the stall owners their money. 

Kya rolled her eyes. “Same old same old. Come on, let’s go to lunch! We haven’t caught up in ages,” the healer exclaimed.

Lin sighed. “Yeah sure, why not? Let me go home first though, I need to take my groceries with me,” she said, turning to walk towards her apartment.  
To Lin’s surprise, Kya slid up right next to her. Kya shrugged at the earthbender’s bewildered expression. “I might as well tag along, we can go eat somewhere near your place. I have nothing to do,” she said.

To her surprise, Lin couldn’t help but feel joy at the thought of having Kya in her home. She blinked, trying to shake away these feelings. She was just excited to see her friend, that’s all. Something in her wilted at the word friend and insisted there could be more, but Lin heavily suppressed it. 

The women walked up the stairs to Lin’s apartment. Lin opened the door, gesturing for Kya to come in. “Thankfully, I had cleaned before I went shopping. It was a mess earlier,” she said, dropping her bags on the counter. 

Kya whistled. “Your place is nice,” she said in an appreciative tone. Lin squashed the pride that swelled in her at Kya’s praise. Lin simply nodded, putting her groceries away. 

“So, what’s good near here?” Kya asked from behind Lin, making her start slightly. The police chief didn’t hear her sneak up behind her, and she definitely wasn’t mad at how close Kya was to her. 

“There’s a good Fire Nation place called Ujo’s near here,” Lin said, forcing her heart rate to calm down. “I’m a fan of their roast duck,” she said in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone.

Kya nodded. “Sounds good! I’ve been looking for a good Fire Nation place,” she said. 

Lin smiled at her friend. Just a friend, she reminded herself ignoring the sadness that crept up in her at those words. “I finished putting the groceries away, let’s go,” she said, grabbing her keys. 

The women left and Lin locked up the apartment behind them. The pair walked down the street towards Ujo’s. Kya opened the door for Lin, and the duo stepped into the restaurant. The place was filled with comfortable furniture and beautiful Fire Nation decor, giving the place a cozy and casual atmosphere. The women sat down at a table and gave the waitress their order.

Kya sipped on her plum wine. “How have you been Lin? You seem stressed out,” she said, voice full of concern. 

The police chief waved her hand and took a sip of her sorghum liquor. “I’m fine. I’ve been stressed with the paperwork that’s been swarming me at the office. I’ve heard that Tenzin is heading down to the Southern Water Tribe to train the Avatar, so I’ve been preparing for his absence,” Lin said.

The two slipped into easy conversation and lost track of time. The next thing they knew, their food was being served to them. Kya excitedly grabbed her noodle soup while Lin calmly reached for her roasted duck. They ate in relative silence, just enjoying each other’s company.

Kya broke the silence first. “So, I’ve been thinking,” she said. Lin simply raised her eyebrow at the healer. “I want to move to Republic City. I like being with Mom back home, but I need to leave. I can tell it’s time,” she said quietly, sipping on her wine. “I know this is kind of sudden, but can I become your roommate?” Seeing Lin’s surprised expression, she reassured her quickly. “Don’t worry, I’m used to sleeping on the couch if you don’t have an extra room. I just feel comfortable living with someone I know and trust rather than a stranger,” she explained.

Lin’s heart raced, filling her head with images of Kya in her apartment. Kya on her couch, Kya in the kitchen, Kya in her bed- she cut off those thoughts before they could start. “Yeah of course,” she said with a genuine smile, hoping her thudding heart didn’t give her away. “It’s honestly getting kind of lonely and I could use some company,” she said. 

Kya gave the most beautiful smile Lin had ever seen. “I’m so excited,” she said, voice full of joy. “It’s going to be just like when we were kids!”

Lin smiled, remembering sharing rooms together at Ember Island when they were little. “Yeah, those were some fun times,” she sighed, voice full of nostalgia. Inwardly, she was panicking. She was afraid that these feelings that had been creeping up on her would explode. She would be fine though, she’s used to suppressing these feelings. It’s been her norm for years, everything would be fine, right?

The pair finished paying and walked back to Lin’s apartment. “I can pay you rent,” Kya said, voice slightly slurred from the wine. “I know this is an expensive area and you’re used to being on your own. I bet the rent’s high.”

“No, I own my apartment. I bought it from the landlord Zyn a few years back. All I have to do is pay her something small like sixty yuans a month for if she ever needs to make repairs to the apartment. You aren’t going to pay me, you mean too much to me for that,” she said softly.

Kya nodded, the wine not making her realize the weight in Lin’s words. “Okay. Let me buy groceries and stuff for you as payment though. I have to make it up somehow,” she said.

Lin rolled her eyes at her friend, eyes lingering over the waterbender's beautiful frame. “No Kya, it’s okay. Just go to bed, I can tell the wine is hitting you,” she said softly, not wanting to be loud and aggravate the healer’s impending headache. 

Kya gave Lin a lopsided smile. “This is going to be so much fun Linny!” she said excitement shining in her eyes.

Lin felt her heartbeat pick up looking at the beautiful woman in front of her. “Yeah, it will be,” she said softly. Lin just had to stop these feelings before the most meaningful relationship she’s ever had with someone gets ruined. Come on Lin, don’t let your emotions ruin your friendship with Kya. You can’t always get what you want, she thought, quietly fuming.

Lin gently placed Kya in the bed in her spare bedroom. “Goodnight Kya, sleep well. We’ll talk in the morning,” the metal bender said tenderly. Lin forced herself to walk away and fell asleep with the beautiful image of the healer on her mind.


	2. Republic City Brings Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya is adjusting to Republic City. She runs into someone that will become a new friend and begins to feel more comfortable in Republic City. Meanwhile, the feelings she has for Lin only get stronger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am currently planning on sticking through with NaNoWriMo, so expect a lot of random updates on this story and The Deadliest Secrets are Those in Plain Sight!  
> Enjoy and comment any ideas y'all have! It makes me so happy that y'all are enjoying the story <3

The metal bender woke up early the next morning, preparing for her shift at the station. Today was going to be yet another day filled with paperwork and LIn became mentally preparing for the same monotonous day. As she bent her armor on, she paused remembering that Kya was now her roommate. _Kya wouldn’t mind if you took the morning off, you should be kind to your guest._ She mentally slapped herself, she wouldn’t let these damn feelings mess with her friendship with Kya.

Lin quickly ate some leftover rice and eggs from the previous day while her tea heated up on the stove. The police chief poured her tea into a travel mug, planning on enjoying some nice tea while she started working on the mountains of paperwork in her office. She quickly wrote a note to Kya, not wanting the healer to panic at her absence. 

> _Hey Kya, sorry I didn’t get to see you before I left for work. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. If you want to get some Water Tribe or hippie decor for the apartment, feel free. Just don’t go overboard. There’s a set of spare keys in the tea drawer in the kitchen. If you decide to leave, remember to lock up the apartment. I don’t know what time I’ll get home tonight, but I’ll see you then._
> 
> _-Lin_

The police chief closed the door behind her and locked the door, inwardly squashing the feelings that told her good job for protecting Kya. She quickly walked to the police station, wondering how the waterbender was going to ruin her life. The healer had already made Lin feel things she hadn’t felt in years, she was unsure how the waterbender was going to make her feel in the future. Surprisingly, she was perfectly content with Kya ruining her life the way it was. Instead of facing her feelings, Lin buried herself in paperwork, ignoring her traitorous heart. 

* * *

Kya woke up with a leisurely stretch, feeling panic set in as she didn’t recognize her surroundings. Her heart rate calmed down when she remembered the events from last night. “Spirits Kya, why did you do this to yourself? Just move in with your childhood best friend you have feelings for, what could go wrong?” she muttered to herself, cursing her stupidity. 

The waterbender sighed, mentally preparing herself to face LIn. To her surprise, the apartment was silent. She walked into the kitchen and noticed a note on the countertop. As she read the letter, Kya felt her heart flutter at the thought of Lin writing just to her. _Come on Kya, stop pining after someone you can’t have. She’s probably just being nice._

Kya simply opened the fridge, mentally taking note of the groceries in Lin’s fridge. She decided to try and eat at a new restaurant for breakfast, she heard from Tenzin that the food in Republic City was to die for. The healer changed into a simple blue dress that hugged her body and put her hair up. She fastened her necklace around her neck and left the apartment, locking the door behind her.

The waterbender walked down the bustling streets of Republic City until she noticed a restaurant called The Mellow Unagi. She walked inside, hoping to find some nice breakfast place. To her surprise, the restaurant was a bit more formal than Ujo’s. Thankfully, the dress she had on could pass as slightly formal. She followed a waiter to her table when someone crashed into her, spilling some tea on her dress.

“Spirits, I’m so sorry! Here let me help,” the black haired girl frantically said reaching for some napkins.

Kya simply laughed, bending the tea out of her dress. “You’re perfectly fine dear. Nothing a little waterbending can’t fix.”

The young girl sighed in relief. “I’m still sorry though, here let me buy your breakfast to make it up to you.”

Kya waved her hand. “Eat with me and we’ll call it even.” The waiter led the women to a table and handed them a menu. “What’s your name dear? I don’t think I caught it earlier.”

The young woman laughed. “Yeah, sorry about that. My name is Asami Sato.’

Kya raised an eyebrow. “Like the Satomobile?” At the young girl’s nod, she sighed. “Well, at least we can relate with famous fathers. I’m Kya,” the healer said.

Asami looked at her in shock. “Like Avatar Aang’s daughter Kya??”

Kya laughed at the awestruck teenager’s expression. “The one and only. Trust me, I know how it feels when all people see about you is your family,” she said, knowing the weight the last name Sato must have on the girl. 

The two women slipped into easy conversation while enjoying their meal. “Do you know of any places to go in the city? I’ve been here before but only briefly,” Kya said as she finished her seared elephant koi. 

Asami finished eating her vegetable wrap and furrowed her eyebrows thinking. “Well, I think you definitely should catch a pro bending match. The Fire Ferrets have a lot of potential this year. There are some really good restaurants as well, I’m a fan of the Jade Platypus Bear, Puron’s, and Soteye’s Hut. They all have amazing cuisine. How long are you planning on staying?” Asami asked.

Kya smiled. “I’m bunking with an old friend right now. I don’t know if I’m going to go back. The Southern Water Tribe is nice and I love my mom, but I need a change. I need to find who I am outside of my family,” the healer said, finishing up her juice.

Asami smiled. “Feel free to let me know if you want to hang out again. It’s nice being able to talk freely and not worry about if this will impact my dad in the papers tomorrow. You understand what it’s like.”

“I definitely do,” Kya said in agreement. The two finished their drinks in comfortable silence. “It was really nice meeting you Asami, we should do this again,” the waterbender said, wrapping the girl into a hug.

Asami startled at the contact but quickly melted into the hug. “Yes, we should,” she said excitedly. The black haired teenager hopped onto her motorcycle and sped off while Kya took a leisurely walk to the market. 

Kya browsed through the stalls, looking for furniture. A store named the Winter Bison caught her eye and the waterbender walked into the store. A bell rang as she walked into the store, immediately feeling relaxed at the familiar smell of jasmine incense that wafted through the shop. The store carried home decor and furniture from all four nations, especially the Water Tribe. To her surprise, there was a large Air Nation section. She was immediately drawn towards some intricately carved silverware that reminded her of home.

After collecting some tapestries, incense, crystals and throw pillows to decorate Lin’s sparse apartment, Kya walked up to the shopkeeper. The old woman looked at Kya with kind eyes. “Hello dear. Is this all you’re planning on getting for today?” 

Kya nodded. “Yes, thank you,” she said with a smile. The old woman looked her up and down.

“It’s nice to see that the waterbenders in the South are coming back,” she said as she bagged up Kya’s purchases. At Kya’s shocked face, she laughed. “My name is Ialli. I was born in the South as well, but I’m not a bender. It was easy to tell you were from the South as well when you recognized my collection of silverware,” she said with a smile as she handed Kya her purchases.

“It’s nice to meet you Ialli. My name is Kya,” the waterbender said, happy to run into someone from one of the places she considered home.

Ialli smiled at Kya. “Have a nice day dear,” the old woman called out as Kya left with her items. The waterbender walked back to the apartment, feeling the setting sun warm her skin. To Kya’s surprise, she had spent a good majority of the day simply walking around, talking with Asami and visiting the Winter Bison. The healer unlocked the apartment and decided to unpack her purchases. She took the tapestry depicting the sky in the Southern Water Tribe and hung it in her room. She hung the tapestry with beautiful artwork of the police station in the living room, hoping Lin would appreciate it. She then unpacked the throw pillows and placed them on the couch, adding some much needed color to the room. 

After putting everything away, Kya decided to start on dinner for Lin. The healer decided to prepare some lobster crab noodles for Lin. The waterbender seasoned the seafood and let it cook while she chopped up vegetables. The smell of spices filled the apartment with a comforting smell and Kya let herself get lost in the process of cooking. She was so focused on her dish, she didn’t even hear Lin come in.

Lin saw Kya in the kitchen and subtly admired the healer’s muscles. She shook her head and tried to clear her mind of Kya’s distracting body. “Hey,” Lin said, walking up behind her. “What are you making?”

The waterbender looked at the police chief, careful not to show how her heart rate picked up. “I’m making some lobster crab noodles. Go sit down and relax Linny, take a shower. You probably need it after your long day today.”

Lin nodded and walked towards her room. She bent her armor off and hopped in the shower. In the shower, she was trying to get her mind off of Kya. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t stop fantasizing about the healer, what her lips would feel like against Lin’s. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. 

Out in the kitchen, Kya was definitely not thinking about joining Lin in the shower. Not at all. _Come on Kya, you can’t ruin what you have with Lin. Besides, she’s probably straight anyways._ Kya pushed away the hope that Lin might like her back and focused on cooking. _It might be a good idea to talk to Pema, she’s good at feelings._ Kya made the decision to talk to her sister in law tomorrow. Even if she couldn’t help with Kya’s conflicting feelings, Kya still wanted to visit with Pema.

Lin came out of her bedroom in her classic relaxed clothes, a simple white tank top and loose black pants. “That smells so good,” she said, smiling at Kya. The earthbender grabbed some dishes and two cups. “Want me to pour you a drink?” she asked.

Kya subtly admired Lin’s muscles through her tank top. “Yeah sure, I’ll drink whatever you have,” she said, dishing the noodles onto the plates. Lin poured two glasses of mango cactus juice to go with their lobster crab. The two grabbed their plates and sat down at the table in Lin’s living room.

The two ate in comfortable silence. Kya decided to break the silence first. “How was work?” the healer asked. 

Lin sighed. “Busy. More and more paperwork keeps coming in. Not to mention, the Triads are gearing up. It seems like a turf war is about to break out in the coming weeks, I just hope that it doesn’t get too messy.” 

Kya placed her hand on Lin’s. “You can do it Linny, you’re the strongest woman I know,” Kya said softly.

Lin smiled and ignored how her heart screamed at her to kiss her friend. The two finished their meal and Lin took the dishes. As Lin was cleaning, she began to yawn. “I’m going to head to bed early, it’s going to be a long day tomorrow,” Lin said, secretly just needing to get out of the same room as Kya. 

Kya smiled at her, ignoring how her mind screamed at her to join Lin in her bed. “Goodnight Lin,” the healer said.

“Goodnight Kya,” the police chief said. As Lin walked into her room, Kya checked out her frame. _Okay this is getting ridiculous, you have to talk to Pema._ The waterbender sighed and went to her bedroom despite knowing sleep wouldn’t come easily. Whenever she was with Lin, sleep was hard for her. Even when they were little, Kya just wanted to watch Lin sleep. Whenever the earthbender fell asleep, it was like all the stress melted away and Kya could pretend she was the reason why.

The waterbender splashed cold water on her face. “Get it together Kya,” she whispered as she looked at herself in the mirror. Kya changed into her sleepwear and fruitlessly tried to sleep. She was finally able to fall asleep with a certain police chief on her mind. Little did Kya know, Lin was going through the exact same struggle in a different room. Both women had dreams of each other, but would pretend everything was normal in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought that Kya and Asami could have easily had a close friendship! They both have famous fathers and have to live up to the family name, not to mention that they're a bit *fruity* :) I felt that they could have been so close if given the opportunity!


	3. The First Steps Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya can't figure out what to do with her feelings. She decides to have a conversation with Pema to try and figure out how she feels about Lin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Pema so much. I see her as 100% done with everyone but when you need her, she's always there. She just wants the best for Kya and Lin. Enjoy <3

Lin got up about an hour later than she normally did. She had done so much work yesterday, she could afford a late start to her day. She brushed her hair, trying to tame the gray mess it had become in her sleep. As she was brushing her hair, she tried to ignore the dreams she had about Kya last night. Once she deemed her hair presentable, she walked out into the living room.

To Lin’s surprise, the waterbender was already awake. “Good morning,” Kya said with a yawn as she put the teapot on the stove. The police chief just nodded at her, unable to properly function before her tea. Kya bent the tea and handed the cup to Lin. “I noticed you had Uncle Iroh’s tea blend, I’m assuming it’s still your favorite,” the waterbender said. 

The earthbender nodded. “Yeah, I’ve tried other teas but none have been as good as his blend,” she said taking a sip. The waterbender nodded, knowing Lin needed tea in her system before she could function. “Thank you for this Kya,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t betray her feelings.

Kya nodded. “Of course! You let me stay here after all,” she said, bumping Lin’s hip with her own as she headed towards the fridge. Lin was definitely not thinking about Kya’s body again, not at all. Especially after last night’s dreams, it was super easy to get distracted by the beautiful waterbender. _Get it together Beifong. Stop acting like a lovestruck teenager and focus on work._

Kya decided to start making breakfast, seemingly oblivious to Lin’s internal struggle. “I’m going to Tenzin’s today,” she announced as she tossed the food on the skillet. “I haven’t seen him since I got back to Republic City.”

Lin nodded. “Have fun. I might be able to get back earlier tonight. I’ve been doing enough work that I can afford a shorter day today,” she said. Lin then walked back towards her bedroom, deciding to bend on her armor. Unbeknownst to her, the waterbender was admiring her back muscles as the police chief walked away. 

“Spirits,” Kya said as the food began to smoke. “Pay attention to the food, not the hot woman wearing a tanktop that looks sinful on her,” she muttered to herself. She dished the food onto two plates and bent some more tea into Lin’s cup. Humming to herself, she put the food on the table and grabbed some silverware. 

Lin came out of her bedroom fully dressed in her armor. “Thanks,” she said, sitting down to eat. Kya simply nodded and continued to eat. Each woman tried to squash their feelings down, making them oblivious to the other’s emotions. The two finished eating and Lin grabbed the dishes. 

“I got the dishes,” Lin said, letting her hand brush against Kya’s as she grabbed the plates. Lin hoped that her thudding heart and flushed cheeks didn’t give away how much Kya’s touch lit her skin up. Lin turned away, focusing on doing the dishes instead of her feelings. She put the clean ceramics away and took her travel mug. “I’ll see you after work,” she said with a nod to Kya. The police chief quickly walked out the apartment and finally let herself smile like the giddy teenager she wanted to. She walked to work, a certain healer on her mind. As she walked down the streets she vowed to protect with her life, she began to wonder if it was a possibility that she may feel the same.

* * *

Kya’s heart started racing as Lin’s hand brushed against hers. She spent the next ten minutes fruitfully trying to stop her blushing and she kept replaying the moment over in her mind while Lin got ready to leave. Kya rationally knew that she shouldn’t be having feelings like this for her childhood best friend, but she ignored it. For now, she just wanted to live in a fantasy world where Lin wouldn’t hesitate to touch her. She sighed and decided to take a shower.

After her shower, she dried her hair and decided to pull her silver hair into a braid. She looked at herself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the person she saw. The person she saw wasn’t insecure about their feelings. She sighed and began to reflect on how she felt. She felt herself beginning to spiral down a hole of insecurities and had a moment of clarity. “I need Pema,” she said as she grabbed the keys off the counter. She locked up the apartment behind her and went to the ferry as fast as she could. 

Kya purchased her ticket and mentally steeled herself for seeing her brother and sister in law. As the ferry made its way across Yue Bay, she kept fidgeting. The healer paused and did some meditation techniques her father taught her to try and calm down. _In and out._ She kept the calming mantra in her mind as she steadied her breathing. The ferry then docked on shore and she made her way up to the temple. She felt anxiety course through her that was quickly remedied by a familiar voice saying “Kya?”

The waterbender smiled at her brother. “Hey lil bro,” she said with a smile. Tenzin simply pulled Kya into a hug. The siblings just relaxed into each other’s arms. “How have you been Mister Airbender Man?” she asked, punching his arm.

Tenzin rolled his eyes. “I still can’t believe you insist on calling me that.” Kya stuck her tongue out at him and he sighed. “I’ve been good lately, but extremely busy,” he said as he led Kya towards their kitchen.

Kya nodded. “I bet,” she said, grabbing a glass of water. “You’ve been doing a good job from what I’ve seen in the city so far. You’re doing well Tenzin,” Kya said as she leaned against the counter. 

The airbender smiled. “It’s nice to see you Kya. Unfortunately, I have a Council meeting in about half an hour. Feel free to come by anytime,” he said. 

“Just remember to take some time for yourself you workaholic,” Kya said as she smiled at her brother, knowing his chaotic schedule. Tenzin wrapped her in another hug and left. The healer sighed. She heard shuffling and looked up, seeing her sister in law struggling to walk a little bit.

“Hello Kya,” Pema said as she walked into the kitchen.

“Pema!” she exclaimed, giving her a hug. She then looked her up and down, noticing something her brother forgot to mention. “I’m going to murder your husband, he didn’t tell me you were pregnant,” she said, helping Pema sit down.

Pema rolled her eyes. “He gets like that when he has a meeting. All he can focus on is the Council. It can be a pain when he gets hyper focused like that,” she said. Kya nodded in agreement, knowing her brother’s tendency to hyperfixate. “Oh how rude, I didn’t even offer you anything,” Pema said, moving to stand up.

Kya placed her hand on Pema’s. “It’s fine, Tenzin let me grab some water. It’s okay, we’re family, you don’t have to be like that with me.” The two had some casual conversation and then Kya decided to break the news. “Okay so, I will admit I did have an ulterior motive to visiting you.” The waterbender sighed. “I need some help getting my thoughts straight,” she said nervously.

Pema raised an eyebrow. “I hate to break it to you, but you like women; your thoughts will never be straight.” Kya laughed and punched her in the arm. “What’s wrong though?” Pema asked, noticing how Kya’s demeanor changed when asking for advice. 

“Okay so you know how I moved in with a childhood friend?” Pema nodded. “Well, I’ve been really confused lately. We’ve always been close, but these past few days I just want her. Her hand brushed against mine today grabbing the dishes and I swear I thought I was going to die from how fast my heart was beating. I’ve never felt so much feeling from someone just simply brushing my hand. I’ve been dreaming about her and I’ve been fantasizing about her lips against mine. I’m too afraid to say anything though, what if I ruin what we have? What if-”

“Kya stop. You’re spiralling. Drink some water,” Pema said, handing her a glass. The waterbender drank some water and felt herself calm down a bit. “So is this friend of yours straight or not?”

“That’s the problem. She’s only dated one guy in the past, but I can’t help it. She’s just so kind, dedicated and smart. Her eyes are insanely beautiful and I’ve loved her, even before her scars,” Kya said, rambling about her crush.

“Wait...scars. Are you crushing on Lin?” Pema asked. Kya blushed and looked away, reddening cheeks confirming Pema’s suspicions. “Look, I don’t know if she’s straight or not honestly. I do know one thing: you have to make a move or move out. You’re torturing yourself,” Pema said.

Kya’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m scared,” she confessed.

Pema grabbed her and just held the upset waterbender. “I was the same way with Tenzin. I was so scared that I would lose him, I was content with staying silent if it meant I wouldn’t lose him. I realized that I was just torturing myself and I couldn’t bear to see him with Lin if I didn’t confess,” Pema said. “It’s scary, but you have to take that leap,” she said.

Kya just laid in Pema’s embrace, feeling the woman’s love for her. “Thank you,” Kya said, voice full of tears. Both women knew she wanted to say more, but words couldn’t explain how she felt. 

Pema smiled at her. “Go get your girl,” she said. Kya nodded and stood up to leave. “Be careful. If this goes wrong and you need a place to stay, you’re always welcome here. Now go get her tigerdillo,” she said, hoping the best for Kya.

  
Kya got on the ferry back to Republic City. She looked out over the blue water in the bay and made a promise to herself under the midday sun. _I will tell Lin how I feel. It may take me a while to find the words to say, but I will do it. I’ve waited since we were kids, I’m done._ The waterbender felt calm wash over her as she finally made a decision to talk to Lin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, the pining will be over soon! The next chapter will be Lin's perspective of pining and then these two gays will be forced to confront their feelings. Comment any ideas y'all would like to see <3


	4. The Inner Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin can't deal with her emotions. She talks to the police chief Saikhan at the station and comes to a startling realization about her feelings. She proceeds to struggle with how she feels, thankfully Kya is there to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought that Saikhan and Lin had a closer relationship than we saw onscreen. They've worked together for YEARS, I can't imagine them not being friends. He's going to help her figure out her feelings.  
> Also don't worry, the pining will be over soon ;)

Lin walked into the police station, feeling tension melt away as she stepped into her familiar role. Lin rolled her shoulders, feeling how tense they were. She headed towards Saikhan as she walked towards her office. “Up for a sparring match? I need to get some stress out,” she asked.

Saikhan nodded. “Sure, I need to train a bit anyways,” he said, bending his armor off. The two walked towards one of the many gyms within the station and stretched. The two metalbenders wrapped their knuckles and circled each other around the mat. Lin made the first move, lunging towards Saikhan, aiming for his face. 

He swiftly dodged and attempted to use Lin’s force to slam her into the mat. Lin anticipated this move and wrapped her thighs around his neck and flung him into the ground. She held him in a choke hold between her thighs and Saikhan tapped out on the mat. 

“Nice one,” he said, grabbing a drink of water. He looked at her with concern. “Lin, I’ve known you for years and I don’t want to seem rude, but are you okay? You’ve seemed a lot more stressed than normal lately, I can see it in your posture and I felt it in that match. Look, if you need to talk I’m here,” he said.

Lin smiled at him, knowing it was hard for him to express concern for his superior. “Thank you for the concern but I’m…” she sighed, deciding to be honest. “I am stressed out. I’ve been having a small crisis, but I’ll be fine.” 

Saikhan nodded. “Want to go another round?” The two metalbenders rolled out the tension in their shoulders and paced around the mat, preparing to spar. The two lunged at each other and traded punches, careful not to hit too hard. After a few minutes of intense combat, the two came to a silent agreement to take a break. 

Lin sighed. “You have a wife right?” she asked as she took a drink of water. 

He nodded. “Yeah, we just got married a few weeks ago. Wait...are you going through a relationship crisis?” he asked, deducting that’s why she seemed so anxious.

“Damn you and those detective skills," she said as Saikhan chuckled. "Yes. I just don’t know what to do. I’ve known her since we were kids and I recently let her move in with me. I’ve never felt like this for anyone before, much less a woman. I don’t know how to approach it,” she confessed. “I don’t even know if I like her, all I know is I can’t lose her.”

The captain placed a reassuring shoulder on the chief’s. “I know how you feel. I hadn’t felt anything as intense as I did when I first saw Hoya. I knew I was falling for her hard when I considered quitting the force to move in with her,” he confessed. Lin raised an eyebrow, surprised.

“We met at some delegate party near Ba Sing Se. She lived in the city at the time and we kept in touch via letters. She decided to move, needing a change in scenery and she wanted to be closer to me. As soon as she moved to Republic City, we made things official.

“Look, I don’t know how you feel about this woman. All I can tell you is to take that step. It’s terrifying to be so vulnerable with someone, but if you trust them wholeheartedly, it’s the best decision you’ll ever make. It’s not fair to you or her to keep these feelings secret, especially if you live together. If you need a place to crash if things go wrong, you’re always welcome to come to our place,” he offered.

Lin smiled at the captain. “Thank you Saikhan,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a nod. The two walked back to their respective desks and prepared for the day. 

After a long day full of mental stress and decisions, Lin sighed and opened the door to the apartment. She walked into the apartment so focused on her internal thoughts she didn’t even see Kya on the couch. All she was concerned with was getting a shower and figuring out how the hell she felt.

“Are you okay?” she asked, noticing how zoned out Lin seemed. 

Lin looked at her. “Yeah, just one of those days,” she said quietly. 

Kya nodded and gave her a gentle hug. “Go shower, I’ll get dinner ready. You relax,” she said. Kya boiled some chamomile tea on the stove, hoping that it would help the police chief relax. She quickly prepared bean curd puffs and jook, wanting the simple, homey food to help ease Lin’s stress. 

Lin bent her armor off and hopped into the shower. She let the hot water run over her shoulders, feeling herself relax.  _ Get it together Beifong. It’ll be okay, you can do it. You don’t have to tell Kya tonight but you will soon. _ After mentally preparing for when she was going to talk to Kya, Lin finished her shower. She dried off and put on her signature white tank top and black pants. 

Lin walked out of the bathroom, seeing that Kya had already prepared dinner. “Do you want to talk about it?” Kya asked, placing her arm on Lin’s. 

Lin sighed. “Not right now. I just...I can’t,” she confessed in a shaky voice uncharacteristic of the earthbender. 

She nodded. “It’s okay, just eat some food and get rest. I made chamomile tea in order to help you relax,” she said, handing the tea to Lin. 

Lin smiled, too lost in thought to properly thank her. The two ate in comfortable silence, even though Kya was worried for Lin. Lin looked up and saw the worry etched onto Kya’s face. 

“I promise you, I’m okay. I’m just...dealing with emotions I haven’t felt in a while. It’s hard for me, but when I’m ready I’ll talk,” she said, not wanting those worry lines in Kya’s face to deepen. 

Kya reached across the table and held her hand, offering silent support. Right now, neither woman felt the electrifying spark when their skin touched, but rather a soothing calmness just knowing that the other was there. The two ate in silence, holding hands as if they were afraid the other person would disappear. 

They finished eating and cleaned the dishes. As soon as Kya made sure the apartment was clean, she turned to go to her room. “Wait,” Lin said shakily. Kya turned to look at her in concern. “I can’t be alone tonight...will you sleep with me?” she asked, not looking at the waterbender.

Kya’s heart broke. She knew Lin was horrible with emotions. The last time she had asked Kya to sleep in the same bed as her, Kya had to hold her the entire night while Lin sobbed. Lin had been afraid she would never live up to her mother’s expectations and after a tense argument, had even left home. 

_ Kya still remembered how broken the earthbender had been. She was preparing to go to bed when she heard a knock on her apartment door. The waterbender opened the door to Lin, face stained with tears and beet red.  _

_ “I’m sorry I’m here, I didn’t know where else to go,” she said.  _

_ Kya could clearly hear how her friend was holding back sobs. “You’re always welcome here,” she said, letting Lin into the apartment. She prepared some tea, knowing it always helped soothe the earthbender. The two drank their tea in silence until Lin decided to break it. _

_ “I can’t do this anymore. I wanted to become a police officer to make Mom happy, but it’s not working. No matter what I do, I never appease her. What if she realizes how much of a screwup I am? What if I’m not even worth the Beifong name?” she sobbed, breaking down. _

_ Kya held her in a tight hug. “Lin Beifong, you are so deserving of your name. You’re the most stubborn, courageous, selfless person I’ve ever met. You are worth so much more than those expectations your mom sets on you. You’ve been surpassing every single expectation your entire life. You are worth the Beifong name. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone more determined and dedicated than you. You mean so much to me Linny.” _

_ Kya just held Lin in her arms as the earthbender’s body wracked with sobs. Kya offered silent support, knowing that Lin just needed her here. After she had cried all of her tears, she looked at Kya. “Can I sleep with you tonight? I can’t be alone,” she confessed shakily.  _

_ The waterbender tightened her hug. “Of course you can. I’ll go get it ready,” she said softly. The two just held each other tightly as they drifted into uneasy sleep.  _

Kya walked across the room and just hugged her. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you mean so much to be Linny. I’ll always be here for you. Go get the bed ready while I put on my pajamas,” she said softly. 

Lin nodded, voice too thick with emotion to speak. The two got ready for bed and just simply held each other. They both knew how the other person needed them, and just offered silent support. The two women fell into an easy sleep, surrounded with love and support. 

  
As Kya and Lin drifted off to sleep, they both had the same thought.  _ I wish I could hold her like this every night…  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to keep you waiting! The pining is probably going to continue for another chapter. I already have the confession scene planned out, I just need to work out how I get there :D 
> 
> I always felt that Lin probably struggled a lot. She was the firstborn daughter of Toph Beifong, and being a police officer put even more pressure on her. I think that she would have snapped under the pressure a few times, but always get back up. I used that idea as an opportunity to show Kya and Lin's friendship and how it's evolved into something more overtime. Enjoy <3


	5. The Disruption of the New Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin and Kya have found a steady routine while falling more and more in love with each other. What happens when Korra comes into the picture?
> 
> AKA the start of S1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how, but I managed to write this entire chapter in less than an hour...I'm happy with how it turned out! If y'all have any suggestions, please comment and enjoy <3

The next morning, the two women woke up from the most peaceful sleep they’ve had in years. The waterbender woke up first and admired the earthbender gently sleeping next to her. Kya gently tapped Lin’s nose. “Good morning,” she said with a yawn. 

Lin groaned. “Good morning.” The two simply laid together for a minute. “Thank you for everything,” she said softly.

Kya placed her hand on Lin’s face. “If anything, I should be thanking you. I’m happy to be here for you, no matter what,” she said gently. The two looked at each other, desperately wanting to confess but too afraid to make a move. 

Lin reluctantly got up. “I have to head to the station,” she said with a yawn. She then looked at the clock and cursed. “Spirits, I’m late,” she muttered. 

Kya watched with amusement as Lin frantically got ready for the morning. “Enjoying the view?” the earthbender asked.

She whistled. “Very much so,” she said, happily noting that Lin’s ears turned red. 

Lin rolled her eyes, desperately trying to hide how much Kya’s words affected her. “I’ll see you after work, try not to sleep the day away,” she said, rushing out the door.

“No promises!” Kya called out after her. Lin chuckled and headed towards the station. When she walked in the door, Saikhan was there to greet her. 

“Chief,” he said with a simple nod. “We have an update on the Triad case. We’re having a meeting in fifteen, if you want to attend.” He held up a bag. “I figured you were running late, so I grabbed you some breakfast.”

Lin looked at him with gratitude. “If you weren’t already married, I’d marry you myself just for this,” she said grabbing the food from him.

“Speaking of, how did last night go?” he asked.

Lin stopped eating her egg custard tart. “It was interesting. We slept together last night,” she said, taking another bite. Her ears turned red at Saikhan’s whistle. “Not like that! We just slept in the same bed, no sex,” she said.

Saikhan smirked at her. “Whatever you say Chief.”

“Watch it Captain or I’ll demote you,” she threatened, taking another bite of the pastry. 

“Ah, so at first it was marry me and now it’s demoting me? You wound me,” he said dryly.

Lin rolled her eyes and continued eating. “I’ll be there, if only to make sure you don’t try and make a plan to murder me at the meeting.”

Saikhan laughed. “No promises.”

Lin walked to the bathroom, splashing her face with cold water. She looked in the mirror, determined to pull herself together. She walked into the meeting and sat down. 

The meeting took much longer than she expected, she was thankful for the pastry Saikhan got her. By the time the meeting was over, it was lunchtime. She decided to go to one of the market stalls nearby and grab some lunch. She grabbed some meat kebabs and cucumber-aloe water, thankful that she remembered to always keep spare change in her office for hectic days like this.

Lin finished up her day relatively quickly and decided to head back to the apartment. On her way there, she ran into Tenzin. “Hey,” she said.

Tenzin turned around. “Lin! It’s good to see you,” he said warmly.

“Same to you, airhead,” she said with a smirk, knowing his hatred for the nickname. Tenzin simply rolled his eyes. “Are you still planning on moving to the Southern Water Tribe for the Avatar?” she asked.

Tenzin sighed. “No, there’s too much division within the city. There have been some...developments that make me afraid of chaos.” 

Lin nodded, knowing they couldn’t go into specifics in public. “I’ll hold the paperwork then. No need to process it if you aren’t moving,” she said.

The two gave each other a nod and left, knowing the other was busy. Lin continued on her way home, stopping at Narook’s Seaweed Noodlery to pick up some of Kya’s beloved seaweed noodles. She unlocked the apartment door, placing the food on the counter. 

Kya popped her head out of her room. “Hey, how was work?” she asked. She then noticed the noodles Lin had brought. “You got me Narook’s? Okay that’s it, I’m going to marry you,” she said.

Lin laughed, pushing away the thoughts that told her she wanted that. “I can’t marry you, I already promise I’d marry Saikhan.”

“Ah the betrayal! What did he do?” she asked, getting the tea ready.

“He realized I was running late and picked up an egg custard tart for me. I told him I’d marry him, then he was being Saikhan and I told him I’d demote him,” she said, eating the noodles.

The waterbender laughed, her voice sounding like music to Lin’s ears. “I’m glad you and him are close. It’s hard to find people outside of work, especially with a job like yours.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” she said dryly.

The two continued eating and fell into easy chatter about the day. Kya visited this store that was quickly becoming her favorite, the Winter Bison. “It’s so amazing! Ialli has so many Southern Tribe things and Air Nomad stuff! It’s one of the best places I’ve ever been to,” she said.

Lin smiled, enjoying how Kya’s face lit up talking about the shop. “Spirits, I don’t know why I’m so exhausted,” she said yawning.

Kya punched her in the arm. “Go to sleep you old woman,” she said.

Lin swatted her in the head. “You’re the old one here!”

“Only in age. You, my dear Lin, are older in spirit.”

Lin rolled her eyes. “I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight Kya,” she said.

“Goodnight Lin,” the waterbender said, deciding to do the dishes. 

* * *

The two quickly fell into a steady routine together. Kya would spend her days either exploring Republic City or helping out Pema with the kids while Lin went to the station. If they had time, they would eat breakfast together. They almost always had dinner together, and once Kya even brought her lunch. The women began to feel themselves fall further for the other. 

This steady routine changed when the Avatar came to the city. Lin’s normal day was disrupted when Saikhan burst into her office. 

“I think we just arrested the Avatar,” he said.

“What?” she exclaimed. 

“She was trying to help catch some Triad members and caused a bit of damage in the process. She then ran away while I tried to arrest her for damage to private and public property. It’s been a mess,” he said with a sigh.

Lin noticed him wince. “Go to a healer, I’ll take care of the Avatar. Let me know if anyone comes in,” she said. Saikhan nodded.

Lin walked into the room, seeing the young girl in the chair. After a brief interrogation and some anger management on Lin’s part, Saikhan popped his head into the room. 

“Councilman Tenzin is here Chief,” he said. Lin nodded and Tenzin walked into the room.

Tenzin and Lin had a brief conversation and he left with Korra. Lin sunk into the chair with a sigh. So much stress has been added onto her plate lately with the Equalist movement gaining traction and the feelings with Kya. She rubbed her temples, trying to stop the growing stress headache.

Lin went home and collapsed on the couch. “Are you okay?” Kya asked. 

“I didn’t murder the Avatar, so that counts for something,” she said dryly. Kya raised an eyebrow. “I know she had good intentions, but she can’t dole out vigilante justice! We have laws in place, even Korra has to follow them,” she said.

“I can tell this is stressing you out. Come here, let me help,” Kya said, bending some water between her hands. Lin allowed her to place the glowing water on her. “I’m going to try and ease some of that tension in your body, which should hopefully help with stress.”

The two sat in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the feeling of being together. Lin sighed. “Look, I get a feeling a lot is going to happen. Please, know that I care about you, even if I don’t get to see you a lot,” she said, placing a hand on Kya’s.

Kya smiled. “I know,” she said, those words holding more weight than Lin realized. Kya pulled the water off of Lin’s shoulders, feeling the tension melt away in the earthbender. The two prepared for bed, each wanting to hold the other like they did a few weeks ago.

“Goodnight Lin,” she said softly.

“Goodnight Kya.” Lin stood up and walked away before she did something stupid, like confess that she was in love with the waterbender. “I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Kya nodded and went to her room, preparing for sleep. The healer knew sleep wouldn’t come to her easily though. She was worried about Lin. She would never admit it, but Kya could tell that Lin had been stressed out for the past few weeks. In fact, the stress had started after...after they slept together. 

_Spirits, what if she doesn’t want me to be with her anymore?_ Kya pushed the thought away, not wanting her heart to break. _Get it together. You can do this._ Kya looked at herself in the mirror, determined to confess her feelings for Lin in a few days. _Just wait until this stress with the Equalists is over and Lin is used to Korra being in Republic City._ Kya had seen how the young Avatar just desperately wanted to help the world, reminding her of how a certain police chief at that age. She smiled, realizing Lin’s determination had only grown over the years. 

While helping Pema with her nieces and nephew, they had some more conversation about her feelings for Lin. Pema helped her ease into the idea of confessing her love, and even helped her prepare what to say. She felt more at ease confessing her feelings, especially when Pema told her that she believes Lin likes Kya as well. Pema helped her get over her insecurities and get used to the idea of being more vulnerable and open with the woman she’s been falling in love with. With the thought of the beautiful earthbender on her mind, Kya fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this chapter is heavily skipping over S1. I think that restating what happens in the show would go against what I want the plot to do. This will mostly focus on Lin coping with Amon taking her bending and how Kya sees Lin's true strength during S1. Don't worry, I promise the pining will end soon ;)


	6. I'll Help You Pick Up the Broken Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin and Kya have to face the struggles against Amon. The two women are afraid for the other's life. After Lin's bending is taken, how will Kya react? Will she finally confess?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not going to lie, I definitely did NOT plan for this chapter to be so long. The plot just kept flowing and I'm so happy with how it turned out! I tried to skip around the specifics of S1 in order to focus on what happens off screen. Enjoy <3

Kya quietly opened the apartment door, trying to stay silent in case Lin was sleeping. Kya had spent the past few days at Air Temple Island at Lin’s insistence. She hated not knowing how the earthbender was doing everyday, but if it helped reassure her, Kya would do it in a heartbeat. She frowned, remembering the events that led them here. 

_Lin barged into the apartment, face full of worry. Kya stopped cooking and looked at the normally calm and collected earthbender close to breaking down. “What’s wrong?” she asked._

_Lin grabbed Kya’s hands and pulled her into a hug. “Amon and the Equalists are gaining power.” She sighed, eyes full of tears. “Kya, they attacked the arena and aren’t done yet. They’re out for blood. The Equalists took my metalbenders. I have to go after them. I’m resigning and letting Saikhan take over. You have to stay with Pema, things are getting too dangerous for you,” she said holding back tears._

_“Lin, I can handle myself. I can take whatever Amon throws at me, I want to be here for you,” she said stubbornly._

_Lin’s tears in her eyes spilled over. “Please...I can’t lose you,” she said sobbing. “Please, go with Pema so I know that you are in less danger. If something happened to you…” Lin’s voice trailed off._

_Kya could tell how deeply this bothered Lin if she was openly crying. “Okay, let me spend one last night with you. I want to sleep with you again, like we did a few weeks ago,” she said. Lin nodded, not trusting herself to speak without crying._

_The two women held each other tightly, afraid of what the future would bring. When Kya woke up in the morning, she had rolled onto Lin during the night. The two’s legs were intertwined and Kya’s head was on the police chief’s chest. Lin stirred awake and Kya was afraid she would be pushed away off of her comfortable perch on Lin. To her surprise, Lin pulled her in closer. “Please...stay safe for me Kya. If something happened to you, I don’t know if I could live with it,” she said._

_“You stay alive for me Linny. I need you,” the waterbender said, hugging the earthbender tighter. She felt an impulse to kiss Lin, but refrained from doing so, afraid of scaring her away. She got ready and looked back at Lin before she left. “You show them why you’re a Beifong,” she said, voice full of emotion. Lin gave her a simple nod, knowing neither of them could find the words to say._

“Lin?” she called out quietly, not seeing the police chief. 

She heard rustling in the living room. “Kya? Why are you here, are you okay?” Lin asked, frantically looking her up and down. 

“I’m okay,” she reassured Lin. “I heard that you just got back from Tarrlok’s hideout. Tenzin said you were okay, but I had to come see it for myself,” she said, voice shaking. 

Lin wrapped her in a hug. “I’m okay. I’m still here,” she said quietly reassuring the waterbender tightly holding her. Kya simply tucked her head under Lin’s. The two stood there silently together, just enjoying each other’s comfort. 

Lin gently nudged her. “You should go back. If Tenzin or Pema wake up and you aren’t there, they’ll get worried,” she said gently. She didn’t want to push Kya away, but it’s what she had to do in order to cope. Kya nodded but gave her a tight hug before leaving. Lin wasn’t mad that she didn’t say goodbye, she knew if Kya started talking she would either break down and cry or not be able to leave. 

The next day, Lin helped look for Korra. She wouldn’t admit it, but she felt concern for the young Avatar. Finding her alive helped release tension Lin wasn’t even aware that she had. The group got back to Air Temple Island and Lin turned to leave. “Lin, rest here tonight,” Pema said, voice leaving no room for argument. 

Lin nodded, too exhausted to argue. Pema led her to a guest room and she collapsed on the bed. She was hoping for some dreamless sleep, but her dreams were never kind to her. In her sleep, she saw herself fail.

_Amon stood over Korra, taking her bending and leaving her to bleed out in the street. Tenzin was laying still on the ground crumpled, she didn’t need her years of experience to know he was dead. Pema was trying to shield her kids from the Equalists lunging at them with electric batons. Saikhan was wheezing behind her and she was too afraid to turn around to see the damage that caused him to wheeze wetly like that. Mako and Bolin stood over Korra, trying to simultaneously help protect Korra and fight off others. Asami’s car had crashed into a pole, her beautiful black hair shielding Lin from seeing the full damage to her, the pool of blood giving her more than enough information. Kya’s beautiful frame was broken, her wet frayed hair dragging across her face. She had two large burns on her chest from the electric shock that killed her._

_Lin was in so much grief, she couldn’t even find tears. Amon walked over to her, boots pounding against the pavement. “Look at you, great Chief Beifong. The city’s greatest protector. Yet, you let me win. The Council is gone, your beloved Avatar dead, and the Air Nation is coming to an end. You lost. You will never win,” he said crouching in front of her. Lin weakly lifted her head to glare at the smug idiot she would give everything to kill in this moment._

_He touched her face with his gloved hand. “I do have to thank you though. Without a horrible police chief like you, our movement might have failed. We thank you for allowing us to further our cause. Unfortunately, you cause more problems alive than dead. Trust me, this isn’t personal,” he said, bringing one of those electric gloves on her._

The police chief woke with a start, panicking from her nightmare and unfamiliarity with her surroundings. She remembered helping find Korra and resting at Air Temple Island. She desperately tried to calm down and let her breathing slow, but it wasn’t working. She walked up and grabbed a small stone from outside. _Star, circle, square._ _Star circle, square._ She bent the earth, soothing herself with the repetitive motions and mantra. 

As soon as she was able to breathe steadily, Lin bent her armor on, the metal encasing her in calm. She wouldn’t admit it to herself, but the armor reminded her of her mom. Sometimes when she was upset, the metal felt like one of the rare hugs the blind earthbender gave Lin. She walked out of the guestroom, schooling her face into her signature calm mask. No one needed to worry about her, she would be fine.

Tenzin nodded at her. “Good morning, how did you sleep?”

“About as well as I can,” she said, grabbing some tea Tenzin had brewed. 

He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. “There’s breakfast on the table.” He joined her at the table with Korra and her friends. 

Pema handed Lin a plate of food and the chief gave her a rare smile. “Thank you Pema,” she said. Lin watched with amusement as Korra devoured her food, finally recovering. She felt even more tension melt away. _When did you become so concerned with her?_ She couldn’t be mad at herself though, there were more pressing matters. The conversation turned to Tarrlok and his father being Yakone. Lin noticed Kya intently listening, and it seemed the healer was making mental preparation.

“I’m going into the city. I want to get a feel for what’s going on and I have some emergency shopping to do,” Kya said. She then simply turned and left. Everyone knew that she would be back soon, the question was how soon. 

Lin was about to offer to help with the dishes when Asami offered. She smiled at Asami, knowing the girl was much more than she seemed. Lin prepared to go to the station when Tenzin put his hand on her shoulder. 

“Hey Lin, I feel awkward asking but can you watch over Pema and the kids? With all that’s been going on, I’m just worried for them,” the airbender said awkwardly, as if he was afraid Lin would reject.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Of course I’ll help you airhead,” she said, turning to walk inside. She heard Oogi and Tenzin take off behind her, and she went to find Pema.

“Hey,” she said, walking into the living room where Pema was on the couch.

She tried to smile at Lin, but it came out as a grimace. “Hey,” she said, moving up to greet her.

“No, you rest. You look ready to pop any second now, you just relax,” Lin said, hearing Meelo and Ikki running around outside. 

Pema sunk into the couch with a sigh. “I just feel useless.”

“If you want to have a use, help me figure out my feelings,” she said with a smirk.

To her surprise, Pema readily agreed. “Tell me about them! I’ve been helping Kya out with emotions as well, so I’m basically the resident love expert,” she said.

Lin laughed, ignoring the jealousy that ran through her at the thought of Kya having feelings for someone else. “Well,” she sighed. “I’ve never felt like this before. Tenzin and I...it was okay but it wasn’t made to last.” She laughed. “I don’t know how we managed to stay together as long as we did, we were much better off as friends. With him, things were stable. I never felt any extreme highs or lows.”

“This is different. Everytime I see her, my heart stops. Whenever we touch, my skin feels like it’s on fire. I just want to hold her while we sleep and kiss her until I can’t breathe. I’ve never felt like this, especially for a woman and…” the police chief’s voice trailed off. “It’s scary, knowing that I care about someone that much,” she said, allowing vulnerability to come through.

Pema sighed. “Love is hard. It is scary to open yourself up to someone like that, but if you trust them, it’s the best decision you’ll ever make.” Pema’s mind shifted back to an earlier conversation and she connected the dots. _These two idiots are pining over each other!_

“Look-” Whatever Pema was going to say was cut off by a thud. Lin looked at the window and saw an Equalist airship. 

“Get the kids to safety!” she said, rushing outside to fight. Lin turned in concern as Pema let out a cry. “What’s wrong?”

“The baby’s coming!” she cried. Lin motioned at the Air Acolytes to help Pema with the birth. A streak of blue ran past Lin as Kya raced towards her sister in law. Lin smiled, knowing Pema had a fantastic healer with her now and a group of Air Acolytes to support her. She was happy she was able to see Kya before the action started and know she was alive. 

She rushed out and joined the White Lotus sentries in fighting off the attackers. She fought off as many as she could, but they kept coming. She thought she was done for when Tenzin’s kids swooped in and saved her. They continued fighting and eventually were able to push the Equalists back. 

As soon as they had finished, Tenzin swooped in on Oogi. “What! Lin how could you let them fight?” he exclaimed.

“I would have been done for if it weren’t for them. You raised some good fighters. Go, be with you wife,” she said with a smile. The airbender family had a sweet reunion with the new addition to their family, Rohan.

Tenzin turned to Lin as he grabbed some extra clothes. “I’m moving my family out of the city,” he said. “If Amon got his hands on them…”

Lin nodded. “I’m coming with you. No arguments. You are the last airbenders, I will die before I let Amon take your bending,” she said, helping Tenzin load up Oogi.

Tenzin sighed, reluctantly agreeing. “Korra, you need to hide. We sent word to the United Nations, we just have to-”

“Be patient I know. It’ll be hard, but I’ll try,” she said begrudgingly. 

Korra and her friends ran off to wait for reinforcements while Tenzin motioned for Oogi to go. Kya and the Air Acolytes helped the White Lotus continue to fight off the reinforcements, and when the time came, tend to the wounded. Lin watched Kya’s blue frame disappear as Oogi climbed into the clouds. She turned around, noticing two Equalist airships chase after them. 

“They’re gaining on us!” Lin yelled, voice full of concern.

“Oogi, faster! Yip yip!” Tenzin tried to usher the bison onwards, but it was too late. The Equalists flung a net towards them that Lin easily cut with her bending.

Looking at the airships and the frightened family, Lin made a tough decision. “Whatever happens to me, you will not turn around! You will not turn back!” she said, making sure they understood her. Tenzin gave her a solemn nod. Using Oogi’s tail, she propelled herself towards the airships. She fought as hard as she could, but eventually passed out from the electric shocks. 

* * *

Kya had ushered as many people as she could to safety. She quietly hid in one of the many bedrooms that faced towards the courtyard, determined to keep an eye on what was happening. She hated the sight of that Equalist airship on her father’s island, but she couldn’t do anything right now. She just held out, hoping that everyone had survived.

About half an hour later, an unconscious person was thrown to the ground. To her horror, she realized that Lin was the woman lying unconscious. She began to stir as Amon calmly walked off the airship. Kya kept her anger in check. No matter how badly she wanted to use the rain to stab Amon with ice daggers, she couldn’t risk it. Not with Lin’s life on the line.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the great police chief,” he said with a sneer. “If you tell me where the Avatar is, I’ll let you keep your bending.”

Lin spat on the ground in front of him. “I won’t tell you anything. Go rot in whatever trench you crawled out of,” she said defiantly.

Amon simply walked up behind her and pressed his hand against her forehead. With a look Kya found strangely dignified, Lin crumpled to the ground. Kya’s heart broke in two for Lin. She just wanted to reach out and comfort her, but she couldn’t risk Amon knowing her presence. The Equalists simply boarded their ship and left Lin to suffer in the pouring rain. 

Kya rushed out into the rain and picked up Lin. She knew Lin was too weak to move or even talk. She quickly bent the water out of Lin’s hair, feeling herself slip into healer mode. She assessed her for internal damage, happy to note that her physical injuries were minor. Her mental injuries, however, were significant, but Kya couldn’t focus on that right now. Kya was able to pry the metal armor off of Lin and placed it to the side. She wrapped Lin in a blanket and left her by a fire to help her warm up. 

While she waited for Lin to wake up, Kya made some tea and preparations. Thankfully, she had sensed something was going to go wrong this morning. She purchased two eel hounds that morning, in case an emergency escape was needed. She put some food, water, and warm clothes in two waterproof bags. Kya knew that she needed to get Lin to her mother in order to help heal her and make sure she was safe. 

Kya poured the tea into two cups and sat next to Lin by the fire. Lin stirred and looked up at her. “How are you feeling?” she asked. 

Lin scoffed. “I honestly feel like I should be dead. I’m worthless now,” she said.

“Lin, just because you can’t bend doesn’t mean you’re worthless,” she argued.

“I am! I can’t go back to my job since I was in charge of the Metalbending Police Force. I can’t do that if I can’t bend. Spirits, I’m not even a Beifong anymore! I let my mother down, my city down, and you down. I shouldn’t be alive, I don’t deserve it,” she said, feeling numbness take over.

“Lin Beifong.” Lin looked at her in surprise. She hadn’t heard Kya speak so with such intense emotion before. “You are worth so much. You are easily the most driven person I’ve ever known. You’re determined to make this world a better place in any way that you can. You’ve always held high pressure on yourself and strived for excellence.” She paused, deciding to take the leap she had been afraid to.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I didn’t fall in love with you because of your earthbending or your achievements. I fell in love with Lin Beifong, the amazing woman who’s the love of my life. I’ve been in love with you ever since I realized what love was. I loved you before you got those scars on your face and I’ll continue to love you, not matter what mental or physical scars you get. You are worth so much and yet you never see it. I love you Lin Beifong,” she said, voice full of tears.

Lin looked at her in stunned silence. “You’ve loved me for years?” she asked in a small voice. Kya nodded, afraid she had scared Lin off.

“Look you don’t have to feel-” she was cut off by Lin pressing her lips against hers. She melted into the kiss, feeling the pure love radiate from Lin.

Lin pulled away, face inches from Kya’s. “I’ve loved you since we were teenagers. I thought that what I felt with Tenzin was love, when really it was with you the whole time. I love you and I need you,” she said gently. The two shared another kiss, they were desperate for each other, like the other was oxygen they needed to survive. 

The two women just held each other in front of the fire. “I know we need to go, but for now can I just hold you?” Lin asked, voice breaking. Lin laid on the ground and Kya wrapped herself around Lin. She rested her head on Lin’s chest, like how they had woken up that morning before Lin resigned. Their legs were tangled in a mess. 

Lin looked down at the waterbender on her chest. “I love you,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Kya smiled at her and gave her a kiss back. “I love you too.”

The two women sat there, watching the fire flicker. Lin ran her fingers through the waterbender’s long silver hair. The two women knew that they would have to leave before the night was over, but for now they just wanted to lay in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THE PINING IS OVER!!! I knew that neither of them would confess unless the other was being extremely open. I hope you enjoyed <3 I think Pema will be aware of their relationship, but other then that Kya is going to keep it a secret. Lin is still uncomfortable with being open with her sexuality, but Kya will help. 
> 
> Thank y'all for the comments! It makes me so happy to know that y'all enjoy my story :D


	7. The Journey to the South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Kya's feelings that something was going to go wrong, the pair has a set of eel hounds. They have to take the long trip to the South as quickly as they can. What will happen with Lin as Katara helps her with her bending and emotions?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I have no clue how fast eel hounds are supposed to travel. Based off of what we saw in ATLA, I would assume that they are faster then sky bison, which is why they come to the South first. This chapter is just them traveling and waiting for what happens next. Enjoy <3

“We need to get to go,” Kya said gently, desperately not wanting to separate herself from Lin. Lin nodded, knowing the danger that they were in. The two got up and shared a brief kiss. The former police chief put out the fire while Kya prepared the eel hounds. Lin covered up their presence, leaving everything as it was before they came in. The two women hopped onto their eel hounds and quietly swam across Yue Bay. 

“Where are we going to go?” Lin asked.

“Well, we have to get out of Republic City. We need to head towards the Southern Water Tribe. It’s the safest place for us to be and Mom may be able to help you with her healing,” she said. “I think we should aim for Senlin Village. It’s the village that was attacked by Hei Bei when the forest was threatened. When we get there, we can decide on what to do next.”

Lin nodded. “These eel hounds move quickly, so we should get there right before sunrise.” The two continued traveling in comfortable silence until Lin decided to address their relationship. 

“I meant what I said earlier,” she said softly. “I do love you, and....” her voice trailed off. “It would be happy if you let me call you my girlfriend,” she said with a smile.

Kya leaned over and gave her a kiss. “I’ll be mad if you don’t,” she said with a chuckle. “I know it’s hard to come to terms with our relationship and sexuality, so we don’t have to tell them if you don’t want to,” she said, knowing how sensitive Lin was to perception. 

Lin smiled at her, feeling the overwhelming love and support from her partner. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” The two continued traveling, talking about past adventures. They laughed, reminiscing over the antics their parents got into. Before they knew it, they had reached the shore with the dense forest as the sun began to rise. 

Kya stepped off of the eel hound and helped Lin down, bending the water out of their clothes. The two led their eel hounds through the forest until they spotted the village with its simplistic walls and architecture. One elderly man approached the duo as they trudged into town just after sunrise, exhausted. “Hello, what brings you here so early?” he asked.

Lin smiled and stepped forward. “We’re traveling to the Southern Water Tribe and need a place to rest. We’ve been traveling all night. We were wondering if you would be willing to let us use one of your spare rooms. We can try and do some work in exchange,” she said. 

He smiled at her. “What is your name? My name is Goni.”

“I’m Kya and this is Lin,” the waterbender said. Goni nodded. 

“Come, follow me,” he said, leading them to one spare building. “Our village has been doing well, but one of our children got hurt. Would it be possible for you to help her?” he asked. 

“Of course, I’m a healer,” Kya said brightly.

“Excellent, consider this payment then. Help with Nahla’s broken foot and we will let you rest here until you have recovered. We can also help you with supplies, you two seemed like you were in a panic,” he said. “We will let you rest before you heal her, we want you to be healthy.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” she said, grabbing the bags off the eel hounds. Goni led the eel hounds to one of the barns in the village. 

She turned to Lin and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “How hard is it to heal a broken foot?” Lin asked. 

“It shouldn’t be too bad. I just need time to rest. Helping Pema through the birth was draining,” she said, flopping onto the bed. 

Lin laughed at her dramatics and got in bed with her. “Thank you for everything,” Lin said, pulling her to her chest. Kya gave her a soft kiss in response, conveying all the love and affection she felt. The two fell asleep, holding each other tightly. 

After a few hours, Lin woke up. She admired the sleeping healer, this beautiful woman who agreed to date her. She simply laid with Kya in her arms, content to just watch her relax and admire her beautiful muscles. Eventually, Kya woke up and rolled over to look at Lin. “Hey cutie,” she said, giving Lin a kiss on the forehead.

Lin tucked her head into the waterbender’s chest, enjoying the affection Kya loved to shower her with. “Hey beautiful,” she said, kissing her gently. The two looked at each other with pure love. “I’m so happy that you were able to tell me how you felt. I don’t know if I would have ever been able to,” she said. 

Kya simply gave her a tight hug. “I love you Lin Beifong,” she said, running her hands down Lin’s toned stomach, tracing her abs. Lin rolled her eyes and put on her normal clothes. The two walked out of their hut into the village center.

They immediately noticed Goni talking with a small girl leaning on a stick acting as a crutch. “Hello Goni, thank you again for your hospitality,” Kya said. “Is this my patient, Nahla?”

The little girl nodded. “I fell in a hole chasing a quilled chameleon. It really hurts,” the little girl said with tears in her eyes. 

Lin nodded at her. “You’re being really brave right now,” she said, earning a toothy grin from the child. She picked up Nahla, not wanting more pressure to be on her foot than necessary. “Where should you heal her?” she asked.

“If possible, Nahla’s mother asked for her to be healed at home. It’s easier than running her back and forth,” Goin said.

“Of course! Show us the way,” Kya said. Goin led them to one of the huts in the village. Lin set the girl down on her bed. “Okay, now let me see what’s wrong.” 

She bent the water between her hands, letting the glowing water encase the girl’s foot. “So it’s not too horribly broken. I should be able to heal it within a few hours,” Kya said. The healer focused solely on her patient. 

Lin and Goni left the hut to let her focus. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

“No. Normally I would ask for help with the fields, but we just finished up a harvest. I can tell that you went through something traumatic recently as well. It’s screaming your pain in your posture and worry lines on your face.” He chuckled at Lin’s horrified but intrigued expression. “You learn things when you get to be my age. You simply need to rest, that’s what I want you to do to help.”

“Thank you,” she said, hoping her words conveyed her sincerity. Goni nodded and left, going to talk to other villagers. Lin simply crawled back into bed and let herself sleep. She was too emotionally and physically drained to deal with her emotions and trauma right now.

After healing Nahla, Kya stretched, letting the knots in her shoulders dissipate. “How does it feel?” she asked the girl.

Nahla stood up and gingerly lowered her foot to the ground. “Wow! It doesn’t hurt at all. Thank you,” she said, giving Kya a hug. She smiled at the young girl. 

She walked back to the hut, noticing Lin deep in sleep. Kya slid in bed behind Lin and wrapped her arms around her lover. She gave her shoulder a gentle kiss. _She’s been through so much and still acts okay._ She shook her head, both loving and hating her stubbornness. She slipped into an easy sleep, holding the muscular woman in her arms. 

* * *

Lin woke up to arms encircling her. She relaxed into Kya’s hold, letting the golden morning light wash over her. Before Kya, Lin hadn’t been held like this in years. When she was with Tenzin, he rarely showed affection. Her mother was the same way. It was a shock to her how much Kya was constantly wanting to hold and touch her, but she didn’t mind it. 

Kya pressed a kiss to Lin’s head. “Hey,” she said sleepily. 

Lin smiled at her. “Hey beautiful,” she said. The two reluctantly got up and started preparing to leave. 

Kya rolled out the map. “Okay, so we’re here,” she said, pointing at the map. “We have two options: land or water. Personally, I’d rather go by water. I feel it’s faster, but I’m not sure how you feel about it.”

Lin nodded. “I’m okay with water. I know I’m safe with you,” she said. 

Kya’s face split into a wide smile, overjoyed Lin trusted her so much. “Okay, so if we travel straight down, we should hit Whaletail Island. We can stop either there or Kyoshi Island. Then, we can just go straight to the Southern Water Tribe. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather just go on longer days then several shorter ones.”

“Agreed. I want to be with your mom as soon as possible. I won’t relax until I know that we are moderately safe,” she said. 

The two women left the hut and went to find Goni. “Thank you for everything,” Lin said, voice full of respect. 

The old man nodded. “Of course. Thank you Kya for healing Nahla. We put some supplies together for you two,” he said, leading them to the eel hounds. 

“Thank you,” Kya said. The two women hopped onto the eel hounds and began traveling. “Hopefully, we should hit Kyoshi Island before nightfall.”

“Hopefully. I feel more comfortable with Kyoshi Island, but the Unagi may pose a threat.”

“Spirits, you’re right. I didn’t even think about the Unagi. It may be safer to stop at Whaletail Island then. We got supplies from the villagers, so it’s not like we need supplies from Kyoshi.” 

The two agreed to stop at Whaletail Island, and if they weren’t too exhausted, they might push through the night. The two talked about the past, sharing stories. Lin was too busy admiring Kya to hear what she said half of the time.

Kya laughed, noticing her staring. “Enjoying the view?”

Lin whistled looking her up and down. “Definitely,” she said. The two continued traveling until they hit Whaletail Island. “What do you want to do?”

“I think it’s safer to stop for the night. It’s not quite sunset yet, so we can get an early start tomorrow. I don’t want to cross that ocean at night if I can help it,” the waterbender said. They rolled out their camping rolls, combining them to make one larger one. The women cuddled together and fell asleep, exhausted from the constant traveling. 

They woke up as the sun rose into the sky, painting the sky with shades of pink, red and gold. The duo dressed in their warm gear and hopped onto the eel hounds. They pushed onwards to the Southern Water Tribe, hoping to get there as soon as possible. To Lin’s surprise, they managed to get there a little bit after midday. 

Kya smiled at the cold weather. “It feels good to be back,” she said. “It’s even better with you.”

Lin smiled. “If I wasn’t freezing my butt off, I’d give you a kiss.”

The healer laughed. “Just stop being cold then.”

The two continued to halfheartedly bicker until they reached the sprawling metropolis. Lin felt anxiety wash over here. For the past few days, she had been avoiding thinking about her bending. _What if Katara can’t restore it?_ Despite Kya’s reassurances, Lin still viewed herself as less without her bending. 

The two walked towards Katara’s house, nervous anticipation filling them. They knocked on the door. To their surprise, Tonraq opened the door. He immediately enveloped both in a large hug. “Come on in, it’s cold out there,” he said.

Lin stepped inside, thankful for the warmth. “Hi Tonraq,” she said.

“Hello Lin. We’re here with Katara until Korra comes back. It’s easier to be with someone than alone while worrying about her. With all that’s happening in Republic City, we just need company right now.” He sighed, his brows furrowing. “Wait, how did you get here so quickly?”

Kya smiled. “I felt that something was going to happen, so I bought two eel hounds in case we needed to make an emergency get away. We just stopped at Senlin Village and Whaletail Island for when we needed sleep. I’m glad you’re all safe,” she said. 

Katara opened the door, walking towards Lin. “I’m sorry about your bending dear,” she said, enveloping Lin in a hug. “I’ll do my best to help heal, but I can’t make any promises,” she said sadly.

Lin held her hand. “Don’t feel bad. I’ll manage to adapt,” she said softly. Katara nodded, knowing she wouldn’t admit her insecurities to anyone. Katara had known Lin since birth and could recognize the anxiousness in her as well as any of her kids. 

Katara guided Lin into the healing room. “Let’s see how intense the damage is,” she said. The healer concentrated intensely, but let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry dear, but I can’t do anything. However, I can do something about you and my daughter,” she said.

“What?” Lin said, surprised Katara was able to tell so quickly.

She laughed. “I’ve known you since you were a baby, I could tell when you fell in love with Kya. You two have been pining after each other for so long, I’m just happy you two finally got together. You two remind me of myself and Aang,” she said, voice soft with nostalgia. “I simply hope you two find as much happiness as you can together.” 

Lin smiled, eyes brimming with tears. “Thank you,” she choked out. “I don’t know how if we’re planning on telling anyone else yet, so can you keep it a secret for now?” Katara nodded. “Thank you for everything,” she said. The two embraced in a long hug before she left the room.

Kya knew what had happened just based off of her lover’s face. “It’ll be okay,” she said gently.

“I know it will be, I just don’t know how long it’ll take,” she said with a sigh. 

The two quickly settled in and just enjoyed the company of Katara, Tonraq, and Senna. After a dinner full of casual conversation, Lin decided to turn in for the night. “Goodnight everyone,” she said with a yawn. She turned and placed her bags down in one of Katara’s many guest bedrooms. 

Kya walked in and wrapped her arms around Lin’s waist. “Hey baby,” she said, giving her kiss. Lin gave her a gentle kiss as well. Kya knew that her girlfriend was much more upset then she let on. She simply offered silent support, holding her tight in a silent embrace. They got ready for bed and cuddled together. The two drifted off to sleep, listening to the other’s heartbeat. They just had to wait for Korra, Tenzin, and the others to either come here or hear that they were okay. Until then, they would find comfort in each other, desperately waiting for news about their loved ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will address Lin's trauma, but I feel that she would wait as long as possible. Thankfully, she has Kya to help her. This story is coming together so well, so continue to expect updates <3


	8. I Can Get Through This as Long as I Have You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the family and friends arrive in the Southern Water Tribe. How will Lin react to getting her bending back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did play around with S1's plot a little bit. It's mostly the same, but with the way this fic was written, it didn't make sense to introduce Bumi yet. Don't worry, he's coming :D Enjoy <3

A few days later, Kya and Lin were woken from their sleep by a bison roar. The two looked at each other, simultaneously scared and excited to see their friends and family. They quickly changed and Kya gave her a kiss. “No matter what happens, I’m here for you. I love you babe,” she said lovingly.

Lin kissed her back. “I love you too. Thank you for being you, my love,” she said softly. The two embraced and got ready to visit their loved ones. They stepped out of the guestroom and smiled at their loved ones.

Lin could immediately tell they weren’t okay. Korra had a long and sad look uncharacteristic of the lively Avatar. Asami seemed on the verge of tears and Bolin had an arm around her protectively. Mako seemed subdued and just unsure how to react. Tenzin and Pema put on a brave facade for their kids, but Lin could see through the cracks in their mask.

Lin sat on the couch next to Tonraq and Senna while Katara came into the room. “Come on Korra, let’s see if I can help,” she said gently. Everyone waited in tense silence while Kya decided to make some tea. 

She placed the tea on the table. “Look, we are all struggling right now. Let’s just drink some tea and act like everything will be okay,” the healer said, voice slightly broken. Everyone poured a cup and sat in somber silence. Lin scooched over on the couch, making room for Kya. She put an arm around her girlfriend, silently offering support. 

Korra walked out of the healing room with an anguished look on her face. Katara looked at the young girl with pity. “I’ve tried everything I can, but I can’t restore Korra’s bending. She can still airbend, but she has lost her connection to the other elements,” the old woman said sadly. 

Tenzin looked at Korra. “It’ll be okay Korra.”

“No, it won't,” she said, storming out of the house. Mako followed her, probably trying to help her calm down. A few minutes later, Tenzin walked out and quickly returned with Mako, both wearing sad expressions. 

“I’m going to make sure she’s okay, she’s not acting like herself. I’m worried,” he said. The firebender stood up and quickly left, going to look for Korra.

“Kya….can we talk?” Asami asked, voice breaking. 

“Of course dear. Come on, let’s go talk in my room,” she said gently, guiding the grieving girl to the room she was sharing with Lin. “What’s wrong?”

“My dad...he was an Equalist. He supplied Amon with his weapons. I had to fight my father,” she said, tears in her eyes spilling over. Kya wrapped her in a hug while the girl sobbed. “I lost my mom when I was little. Now, I lost my father too. He was so full of hate, he didn’t act like himself. I don’t even recognize him anymore. How can I move on from that?” 

Kya hugged her tighter. “I don’t know sweetie. Things are hard right now. Everyone is struggling, even if they don’t act like it. All I know is that I’ll be here for you while you try to recover.” She just held the grieving girl. “I know what it feels like to lose who you love. It’s hard and it will always hurt. Overtime, the pain will lessen. There are still days where I miss Dad like crazy, but most days I just remember his smile and I feel okay.”

She put a hand on Asami’s face. “You are an extremely strong person Asami. If anyone can survive this, it’s you. Use your father as an example, show others that the Sato name is truly strong no matter what tragedies your father may have caused. You are more than your family.” The older woman simply held the young girl while she grieved, offering silent support. 

Asami looked up at her, face still stained with tears. “Thank you Kya. Can we get some tea?” she asked.

  
  
  


“Of course dear. Go wash your face off if you need to, I’ll go get it ready.” The waterbender walked out of the bedroom into the kitchen and put some more tea on the stove. 

Lin walked up behind her and circled her hands around the healer’s waist. She pressed a subtle kiss to Kya’s neck. “Love you,” she whispered. The two remained in their quiet embrace for a few moments and Lin pulled away. She wanted to kiss her girlfriend senseless, but she wasn’t ready to be open about their relationship yet. “I saw you talk with Asami. Is she okay?”

“Considering all she went through, I think she did well.” Kya poured a cup of tea for herself, Lin, and Asami. She picked up the tea, admiring Lin’s muscles as she talked with Pema. 

Suddenly, the door flung open. Mako and Korra burst in, faces split into wide grins. “Lin, come with me. I think I can give you your bending back,” Korra said excitedly. 

Lin felt everything come to a stop. Everyone’s faces began to blur and their voices merged into one incoherent mess. All of her insecurities simply went silent and her hopes began to cry. “Really?” she asked in a small voice, too afraid to hope. 

Korra dragged Lin out of the house, excitedly rambling. Lin realized everyone was following them, but Lin couldn’t focus on anything. She couldn’t even understand what Korra was saying, everything still felt hazy. “Lin, are you okay?” she asked, noticing the zoned out look the older woman had. “Here, just kneel,” she said.

Lin sunk to her knees, still unable to believe Korra. Korra placed her hand on Lin’s head and a glow began to emit from her fingers as she entered the Avatar state. She felt herself connect with the earth once again as Korra removed her hand. She reached out and lifted several large boulders into the air at once. She gently lowered them, unable to believe she had her bending again. “Thank you,” she said, tears in her eyes. 

Korra nodded and gave her a bow. Lin smiled and turned to walk towards the group waiting for her. She remained quiet as everyone congratulated her, simply soaking in the feeling of being able to bend again. As the group began to walk back towards the house, Kya stopped and pulled her into a hug. She gave Lin a long, passionate kiss. “You are such an incredible person babe. You have shown so much strength and I’m so proud of you.”

Lin’s face split into a smile. “Thank you babe,” she said, simply giving Kya another kiss. “No matter what happens, all I know is that I can get through this as long as I have you,” The pair walked back towards the group who had been too busy talking to notice their kissing. Everyone walked back to the house, preparing for dinner. Lin heard Tenzin suggest a game to the kids, trying to get them out of everyone’s hair. To her amusement, Korra, Mako, Bolin and Asami decided to join in as well. The new Team Avatar and the kids ran outside, enjoying their day without the threat of Amon and with their bending back. Tenzin and Kya walked outside, deciding to keep an eye on the group. 

Lin offered to help with dinner. “Here Katara, go relax. I can get the dinner ready,” she said. Pema walked into the room with Rohan in a bundle on her back. “Hey,” she said with a nod.

“Hi. I’ll help Lin with dinner,” Pema said. “You always take care of us, let us help you.” Katara nodded and went outside to watch her grandchildren play. Pema slid up next to Lin, helping her chop vegetables. “How are you feeling?”

“Honestly, I feel fantastic. I have my bending back.” Lin smiled, some noodles into boiling water. 

Pema elbowed her. “I bet sleeping with Kya helps,” she said. “I remember she was upset at not being able to tell you how she felt, but I think she conveyed in another way,” she said with a smirk. 

Lin’s face erupted in a violent blush. “Spirits no! We haven’t had sex yet, we’ve just been sleeping in the same bed. She told me how she felt after Amon took my bending and we started dating,” she said, voice full of love.

“I’m so happy for you. You two are so in love with each other and fit together so well. I haven’t said anything to Tenzin and I won’t. You two get to determine who knows what and I won’t get in the way of that,” she said.

“Thank you,” she said, voice full of sincerity. The two women finished preparing dinner, laughing about random anecdotes from the past.

Tenzin walked in, seeing his ex and wife get along. “I am slightly scared that you two are getting along so well,” he said with a note of fear in his voice.

“Oh, you haven’t heard? Lin and I are getting married.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t marry you. I already promised Saikhan I would marry him for bringing me an egg custard tart.”

“How dare you betray me?” she said in a heartbroken voice. The two laughed, leaving Tenzin seriously concerned about what was said between the two. Everyone sat down around the table, conversation flowing easily. Lin smiled, feeling herself relax around her friends and girlfriend. The airbender kids went to bed and Team Avatar followed quickly.

Pema, Tenzin, Katara, Tonraq, Senna, Kya and Lin sat around quietly talking for a few minutes before heading to bed. Lin walked into her room and yawned, arms stretching. Kya walked in and wrapped her arms around the earthbender. She pressed a kiss to her shoulder. The two snuggled close to each other and fell asleep, simply enjoying each other’s presence and love. They knew that they could get through everything, as long as they had each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited to continue writing Kya and Asami interactions! These two would click so hard, we were robbed of their friendship on screen :(  
> This is the end of S1! I am excited to write about what happens inbetween S1 and S2. It'll be fun writing S2 with Kyalin <3


	9. You are the Family I Will Choose, Over and Over Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin simply enjoy company with their friends and family before they have to head back to Republic City. They briefly talk about the future and have a discussion on boundaries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just kind of a filler chapter! I think it's important to show these two interact with friends and family without imminent danger. Enjoy <3

The next morning, Kya woke up to a kiss on the lips. “Morning,” Lin said, voice still raspy from her sleep. Kya looked up at her girlfriend and gave her a gentle kiss and tap on the nose while she ran her hands down her muscular body. Lin scrunched her face and blushed a deep shade of red. Kya looked at her amused, loving how reactive her girlfriend was to touch.

“Morning baby. You look cute when you get flustered,” she said sitting up, causing her lover to blush even more. She laughed, feeling no sympathy for the earthbender. “I love you,” she said, putting her head on top of Lin’s.

“I love you too.” The two quietly sat together, just soaking in each other’s presence. Their lives were hectic and chaotic, being with each other was like a breath of fresh air. “When we get back to the city, you are moving your stuff into my room. I am not sleeping without you again,” she said.

Kya smiled. “Good because I would crawl into your bed anyways. You’re too sweet to kick me out, even if you didn’t want me there,” she said, stretching her arms above her head. She turned around, noting with amusement that Lin made no attempt to hide that she was checking her out. “Like the view?”

“Very much,” she said, getting out of bed to change. “I’d like it better without that shirt on though.”

Kya gasped and put her hand on her chest. “You only wanted me for my amazing body, how dare you?” she said, voice laced with mock hurt.

“Oh no, you’re onto me,” she said with a chuckle. Lin pulled on a simple green shirt with some black pants. Kya walked up behind her, sliding on her dress. She pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder. Now that she had permission to give Lin affection, she would never stop finding some excuse to kiss or hold her lover. 

The two walked out of the bedroom to help with breakfast. To their surprise, everyone else was awake. “Morning sleepyheads,” Korra said with a smirk.

Lin looked outside, noticing how high the sun was. “Spirits, we did not mean to sleep in that long. Guess that’s what you get when your bending comes back,” she said with a smile. 

“Here, we saved you two some jook and crab stew,” Pema said, handing them a bowl. 

“Thank you,” Kya said with a smile. The two dished out their meal and sat down to talk with their friends and family. “So I heard that Bumi is retiring,” she said, eating her stew.

Tenzin sighed. “Unfortunately. He’s also made the decision to live with us on the island. Lin, do you have an extra room? I might need to move in with you.”

“Unfortunately no, Kya took up the only extra one,” she said, taking a bite of seal jerky. 

Tenzin looked at the two with surprise. “When did that happen?”

“I told you I was going to room with her, Tenny. I’ve been living with her ever since I moved to the city,” she said.

He frowned. “Huh, don’t know how I missed that.” He noticed the lingering touches his sister was giving Lin, but decided it wasn’t worth his time to analyze. The conversation quickly turned to what the plans were for when they got back to the city. 

“Thank you so much for having us Mom, but we need to get back. Spirits only know how chaotic everything is. There’s been talk of dismantling the Council and I’m not opposed to it,” Tenzin said, giving his mom a hug.

“It’s nice to have you down here. I’m just happy I got to see you all again, even if it was under some unpleasant circumstances,” Katara said. 

Everyone left the living room reluctantly, knowing they had to pack. Lin walked up behind Kya and wrapped her arms around her waist. “Well, we have these eel hounds to take back. Do you want to travel back? We can make a trip out of it,” she asked.

“Yeah, that would be nice,” she said. “I don’t want to take too long though, you have to get back to work. I’ve been thinking about getting a job with the police.”

Lin raised an eyebrow. “What? I can’t babe. If I lost you…”

She pressed a kiss to the police chief’s lips. “Look, I know that you’re scared for me. I want to get a job as a healer. I know that you and your officers need one. I probably won’t be going into a direct conflict with you and your officers unless it’s a big threat.”

“I know that you want to protect me. You’ve been protecting me and the people in Republic City for so long, let me return the favor,” she said gently, pressing a hand to her face.

She nodded and leaned into her hand. “I…” Her voice trailed off as her throat closed with emotion. “In the past, Tenzin and others would just criticize me for working. I never really had time outside of work and I was okay with that. They didn’t understand how important serving the city is to me.” She wrapped her in a hug, tears in her eyes. “You just support me. You understand me, and I can’t thank you enough. I’d be honored to have you serve with me because you’re you. You just want to be there with me and not change a thing. It’s weird to me to have this kind of support and I-”

She cut her off with a kiss. “Baby, I love you. I will be here to support you through this, no matter what,” she promised. The two just held each other and turned to continue packing. 

After quickly gathering their stuff together, they got ready for dinner. They helped Katara prepare the halibut stew. Lin took special note of how Katara prepared the food her girlfriend loved. When Kya turned to talk with Pema while they waited for the stew to finish, she quickly pulled Katara aside.

“Do you have any recipe books? I want to try and surprise her with a nice meal when we get back to the city,” she said quietly.

Katara smiled, immediately knowing that Lin wanted to make her daughter as happy as she could. “I mostly memorize my recipes. Thankfully, I wrote them down at Kya’s insistence.” She handed Lin a blue book, thick with recipes. “I want you to have this. No arguments,” she said, holding up a hand to cut off Lin’s protests.

She simply nodded. “Thank you,” she said, giving her a hug. Katara smiled and embraced the earthbender, familial love flowing between the two. Lin carefully placed the book in the bottom of her bag, wanting it to remain as safe as possible.  _ She’s done so much for me...at least I can try and repay her with some authentic Water Tribe meals. She won’t admit it, but she misses home more than she lets on.  _

Lin walked out of the room as the stew was finished. Katara dished out the stew and everyone dug in excitedly. Conversation quickly became heated up as they debated pro-bending.

“I don’t get why they can’t have a no rules mode! Just let the two teams go at it, see what happens!” Korra argued. 

“Korra, that could kill someone,” Bolin said, shaking his head.

“Okay and? It’s not like there will be no rules, just not many. You can knock people off the sides and combine elements, like the Wolfbats did. It would be fun!” she said, eyes gleaming.

Mako shook his head. “No, it would be too expensive and dangerous. I mean, pro-bending is already a dangerous sport as it is. We’re a little bit too familiar with injuries, no rules mode would make it worse.”

Korra stuck her tongue out. “You guys are no fun,” she said with a pout.

“You know how there are duels? Like between that prissy boy Tahno and you?” Asami said, gesturing at Korra. At the Avatar’s nod, Asami continued. “What if we spiced it up by giving them an electric glove? That way, you have to not only fight your opponent with elements, but with normal fighting as well. I can turn the electric shock down so it’s not too dangerous and it could be fun,” she said.

Tenzin sighed. “Spirits only know how you have all survived this long,” he said, losing his hope in humanity. Team Avatar simply laughed at him while Pema sympathetically patted his shoulder.

“If you thought they were bad, just wait until Meelo becomes a teenager.”

“Spirits help us all when that happens.”

Conversation flowed easily as they all helped clean up after dinner. They all turned in for the night soon after, knowing they had to get up early in order to travel. Lin shrugged off her shirt, leaving her in just her wraps. She normally slept in just the wraps and some loose pants, but she wanted a shirt on with Kya.

Kya walked up behind her. “If you want, you don’t have to put a shirt on. Look, I won’t do anything you want me to unless I have clear consent.” She wrapped her arms around Lin, looking at her in the mirror. “I also won’t let the first time we have sex be at my mother’s house, afraid someone is going to catch us, if you even want that. If you normally sleep with your wraps and want to wear just that, that’s okay. If you feel more comfortable with a shirt, you can do that. I don’t care as long as you’re comfortable,” she said gently. Kya knew how horrible her lover’s insecurities were and how easily she felt pressure to do what she didn’t want to.

Lin pressed a gentle kiss to her girlfriend. “Thank you,” she said softly, voice conveying all the affection and love she felt. She decided to sleep in just her wraps and pants, Kya donning the same thing. She pulled Kya close to her. “I love you,” she said, giving her a tender kiss.

“I love you too,” she said. The two laid down and looked at each other. They pressed their heads together and fell asleep in each other’s arms, facing each other. In the morning, they would have to face travel and what would happen in their relationship going forward. For now, they just held each other tightly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited to have these two get back to the city! I feel that Kya wants to pull her weight. She doesn't have to have a job, but I think she would at least get a part time job at the station with Lin. I'm also planning on breaking down Korra and Mako's relationship. It was really horribly written in S2 and honestly shouldn't have lasted as long as it did. Thankfully, they have two awesome lesbians to help them figure out their feelings.
> 
> I have no clue if I'm going to end up writing a more, uh, explicit part to the story. I have zero experience writing smut, but hey we all start somewhere? If I ever write that, I will definitely include a warning. I may just reference it slightly like I have been, I have no clue yet. Other than that, the story has really taken shape. I hope you all enjoyed S1 <3


	10. The Journey Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin finally leave the South. On their way back to Republic City, they have a serious talk about their relationship and boundaries. After clearing up confusion about sex, the two arrive in Republic City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I did mention sex because they are two lesbian adults, I mean come on. I'm still not sure if I'm going to write any smut and if I do, there will be a warning. This chapter just mentions it, but nothing is graphic.
> 
> This chapter ended up being really long, but I hope you enjoy <3

Kya woke up first the next morning. She looked at her girlfriend, still fast asleep. She sat up and pulled her into her chest, pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead, not wanting to wake her up. She admired her muscular physique, strong after years of intense training. Lin had admitted that she was insecure about her scars before, but she thought they added to her beauty. She ran her fingers through her short gray hair, admiring how beautiful she was. 

The earthbender sleepily blinked and looked up at her. “Morning,” she said, voice slurred with sleep.

She leaned down and kissed her again. “Morning beautiful.” She chuckled at Lin’s blush. “You are beautiful and I’m going to remind you as much as I can.”

She smiled softly at her girlfriend and snuggled in closer to Kya. “I don’t want to get up,” she said.

Kya sighed. “Me neither, but we have to go. When we get back, we can spend an entire day in bed if you want.”

“I like that idea.” Kya swatted her ass gently, causing Lin to blush even harder. “Hey!”

Kya laughed at how easily Lin got flustered. “Come on babe, let’s get ready.” Kya put on her dress and quickly pulled her hair up. She looked over, noticing Lin had just gotten dressed. “Here, let me do your hair.”

Lin looked at her confused but nodded. Kya ran her fingers across her scalp, gently massaging her head. She then grabbed the brush and gently brushed out the tangles. After the gray hair was tangle free, she ran her fingers through it. Lin closed her eyes and leaned back against her, enjoying the massage. Kya pressed a kiss to her hair when she was done.

Kya stood up. “Come on sleepyhead, we have to get going.” The two walked out with a yawn, happily realizing they were the first ones up. They prepared breakfast, wanting to lighten the load on Katara. 

The old woman walked out a few minutes later. “Come on, you don’t have to do that. Go relax, you’re guests.”

“No Mom, we’re family and we want to help you. You go relax,” she said with a smile.

Katara shook her head and chuckled in amusement. She compromised by setting a pot of tea to boil, something Lin forgot to do. “I’m happy for you two. You deserve each other. This thing you have is something special, don’t forget that,” she said. 

Lin nodded, tears in her eyes and Kya wrapped her mom in a hug. “Thank you,” she said, voice shaking. She was so happy that her mom approved of Lin. 

Katara tightly held her daughter, knowing how much she loved Lin. “You two are so cute,” she said as she smiled at the two women. 

The two continued cooking as everyone else slowly woke up. They all sat together and ate in relative silence, too exhausted to speak. This exhaustion spell was broken when Korra’s head slipped off her hand and landed into the stew. Everyone began laughing as she blushed furiously, bending the stew off of her face. “Shut up,” she said.

“Well, I have blackmail now,” Asami said with a smirk. Korra reached across the table to gently slap her across the face. “Hey!” Korra simply stuck her tongue out with a smug look on her face.

Mako shook his head while Bolin doubled over in laughter. Conversation picked up easily. Tenzin helped Kya with the dishes while everyone else packed. He looked at her, noticing her humming to herself. “Hey, I don’t know what’s changed, but I’m glad you’re happy,” he said.

Kya smiled. “Well I’ve found who I am. I finally found something that I want to do with my life and I feel like I have a purpose. It feels like I just woke up from a deep sleep and I’m ready to be myself.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I’m happy for you,” he said, giving her a hug. He smiled and walked to his room, helping Pema with Rohan.

Lin walked in and tossed Kya’s bag at her. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, I am. Let’s figure out where we’re going and then say goodbye,” she said, unrolling the map.

The earthbender walked up behind her, peering over her shoulder. “Let’s stop at Omashu. Then we can cut across to Shu Jing, where Piando lived. I remember Katara had said that it was absolutely beautiful. From there, we can just head home. Does that sound okay?”

“Sounds perfect,” she said, rolling up the map. The two said goodbye to their friends and family and hopped on the eel hounds. They quickly reached the ocean and began swimming. “So when we get back, you were talking about getting a job with the force. Would you serve at the office or go on missions?”

“Well, I’d probably tag along with you most of the time. If someone gets injured on duty, I’d go and help heal them. If you were going to bust one of the Triads for example, I’d tag along because one of you will probably get hurt. Other than that, I guess I can stay at the office. I don’t know who to talk to in order to get the job though.”

“Baby, you’re talking to her. I would give you the job even if we weren’t dating. You’re a fantastic healer with great instincts, I’d be idiotic to not let you serve. I just can’t lose you.”

“Trust me, I know how you feel. It’s how I feel everytime that you go to work, but I also know that it’s something you have to do. If I was there with you, it would at least be easier on me,” she said. 

Lin smiled at her. “Welcome to the force then. I’ll talk with Saikhan when we get back to the city, but I’m sure he’d approve of you.” The two traveled in comfortable silence until they reached Omashu. The two walked into the city and began looking for a small hotel room. 

A small hotel called the Iron Lotus caught Lin’s eye. She elbowed Kya and the two walked in. They were immediately hit with the comforting scent of homemade food. The woman behind the counter turned excitedly. “Hi there! How can I help you today? My name is Ke and I own this little place,” she said, holding her hand out for a handshake.

Lin gripped her hand, giving a nice handshake. “Hello, we’re looking for a room to spend the night. We were wondering if you had any spare rooms open,” she said.

“Of course we do! Would you two prefer to share a bed or to have two separate ones?” Ke asked. 

“We can share,” Kya said with a smile.

“Okay, that’ll be five gold pieces for just the room. If you spend ten, you get food here and some preserved for the road. Which would you like?”

“We’ll take the food,” she said, handing Ke ten gold pieces. “We also have two eel hounds with us, is there a space for them?”

“Of course! We have a stall included in the back, free of charge when you book a room. Follow me to your room,” she said, grabbing a key from behind the counter. “This is your room key, please give it to someone on the staff here, we’ve had too many attempts from people trying to take the keys off the desk. We begin serving breakfast soon after sunrise and dinner will be ready in about an hour. Let me know if you have any questions and enjoy your stay!” she said, opening the door. “I will have someone take your eel hounds out back and feed them. When you are ready to leave, just let us know and we’ll get them out for you.”

“Thank you,” Lin said with a nod. Ke left with a smile and closed the door, leaving them alone. She slid up to Kya. “Hey beautiful,” she said, pressing a kiss to her neck.

Kya looked back at her. “Hey gorgeous.” The two stood in each other’s embrace for a minute, Kya leaning her head into Lin’s chest. “Can I touch you a little bit? I won’t go too far, but I just need your body next to mine.”

Lin pulled her down onto the bed. “Go for it.” Kya pressed a kiss to her lips, pouring all of her love and affection into the kiss. She ran her hands up and down her girlfriend’s body, enjoying the blush she got as a response. “Someone’s reactive,” she noted, sliding her hands under her shirt to trace her stomach, fingers running over each ab.

“Well with someone beautiful like you touching them, it’s not hard to see why,” she said, running her hands through Kya’s hair. The two simply held each other tight, hands memorizing each other’s body. Lin ran her hands down Kya’s muscular back, memorizing each dip and divot. Kya ran her fingers down the earthbender’s arms, admiring her muscular physique. The two just kissed each other senseless. Lin eventually pulled away, admiring Kya’s lips puffed from kissing. 

“We do have to look presentable at dinner babe, so let me do your hair.” Kya nodded, surprised but appreciative of the gesture. Lin gently brushed out her long silver hair, fingers running across her scalp. She began to pull the hair into sections, letting herself do the braids she used to do on Su. 

_ “Come on Linny, braid my hair!” _

_ “I don’t know how to do that,” she admitted embarrassed. _

_ “Well you won’t learn unless you try it. Here, let me guide you through it. You split the hair into three and cross the sections over,” Su explained. _

_ Lin nodded and focused on doing her sister’s hair. After figuring out the pattern, Lin quickly finished the braid and earned a nod of approval from Su. “You can practice on my hair anytime you want!” young Su said with a toothy grin. _

_ Lin smiled. “Deal.” _

“How did you learn to braid?” Kya asked surprised.

“When we were little, Su wanted me to braid her hair. She knew how, but she could never do it on herself. She taught me how to braid, we used to sit and talk while we waited for Mom to get home. A lot has changed since then,” she said, letting her voice trail off. 

Kya placed a hand on her girlfriends. “Thank you for telling me.” She knew Su was a sensitive subject for the earthbender and she was happy Lin trusted in her. 

She smiled, tying off her braid. “There you go,” she said, pressing a kiss to the silver hair. “Let’s head to dinner.” The two walked to the eating area and Ke handed them a plate heaped with food.

“Help yourself to seconds if you want any! If you two need anything, just ask,” she said, quickly moving to serve more customers. 

Lin looked at her plate of roast duck, pau, soup and Omashu’s signature jennamite. “I am pleasantly surprised,” she said.

Kya nodded in agreement. “Everything looks delicious, dig in,” she said, grabbing her tea. The two ate, surprised by how delicious everything was. They went back for seconds and ate in peaceful silence. After handing their dirty dishes to the staff, they headed back to their room.

Lin stretched. “I’m going to take a shower.”

“Alright, I’ll wait until you’re done,” she said, grabbing her clothes. She heard the water turn on and felt an impulse to join her girlfriend in the shower.  _ Kya, no. You promised yourself you would respect her boundaries. _

In the shower, Lin wished her girlfriend was with her. “Okay, you two need to have a serious discussion when you get done,” she muttered, shaking her head. She quickly dried off, just donning her wraps and some shorts. She walked out, hair dripping.

Kya looked at her, silently appreciating how gorgeous her girlfriend was. “Look, when we get back to the city we need to have a serious conversation,” she said, toweling her hair dry. 

“Okay, did something make you uncomfortable?” the waterbender asked, determined to make her girlfriend feel safe with her.

“Quite the opposite actually. In fact, you make me very comfortable,” she said, pressing a kiss to her head. “Well I guess we can have this conversation now,” she said nervously.

“Let me shower first and then we can talk. I want to give you time to get your thoughts together,” the healer said, grabbing a towel. Lin admired her girlfriend as she walked into the bathroom.  _ Okay, it’s going to be hard but you have to be honest with her. Adults are perfectly fine with sex, so why is it hard to talk about with her? _

Kya stepped out of the shower and quickly dried off. She put on her wraps and shorts and walked out of the bathroom. She sat on the bed and Lin crawled into her arms. Lin placed her head on her chest and cuddled into her. Kya wrapped her arms around her. “Are you okay to talk?” she asked gently.

“Yeah. Look, I’m not good with feelings so just give me a chance to try and figure this out.” She pressed a kiss to Kya’s hand, making her heart swell with affection. “I love you. I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted anyone before. It’s weird for me because I’m attracted to you physically. I want to have sex with you and it scares me, I’ve never felt this strongly about someone before,” she said, hiding her face in her chest in embarrassment. 

“Oh baby,” she said, voice full of love. “Thank you for being honest with me, I know it’s hard for you. Look, I want to have sex with you too, but I want to wait until we get back to the city. After all, I still need to wine and dine you,” she said, pressing a kiss to her head. 

The two held each other tightly and quickly fell asleep in the same position they talked in. Lin woke up to the sun shining in her eyes. She groaned, peeling her eyes open. She happily noticed that she was still perched on Kya. Kya’s arms were wrapped around her and she closed her eyes, feeling safe in her embrace. “Morning,” she said, pressing a kiss to her head.

“Morning,” she said with a kiss. The two quickly got changed and packed up their bag, making sure they didn’t forget anything. They walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. They grabbed breakfast and quickly ate, wanting to get on the road. 

Ke came over to them. “Good morning, are you two leaving after breakfast?” At their nod, she handed them a bag. “Here, this bag is filled with some sugar cookies, lychee nuts, and some cakes. I’ll take you to your eel hounds after you finish eating, take your time,” she said, grabbing the key from Lin’s outstretched hand.

After finishing breakfast, they followed Ke behind the hotel. She opened the door and woke up the eel hounds. They walked over to Kya and Lin, ready to travel. “Thank you for everything,” Lin said with a smile.

“My pleasure. You two take care,” she said, turning to go back inside. The two loaded their bags onto the eel hounds and quickly hopped on. They began traveling towards Shu Jing, hoping to make it there before nightfall. They traveled in comfortable silence, each lost in thought as the eel hounds swam across the ocean. The sun was close to setting as they finally arrived in Shu Jing.

The two quickly headed into the village, hoping to find a room for the night. The two admired the beautiful scenery in the city, and understood why Piando would choose to live here. The women walked into one of the few hotels in the town called the Roaring Fire. “Hi, I was wondering if you had any rooms available for the night,” Kya asked the man at the desk.

“We have just one, are you two okay with sharing a bed?” At their nod, he smiled. “Fantastic! Would you two like food as well or do you have enough with you?”

“How much would it be to add food?” Kya asked.

“Well, you two just missed dinner but I can grab you some leftovers. The room is just five gold pieces and the food will cost you five silver,” he said.

“We’ll get the food as well,” Lin said as she handed him the coins. 

“Wonderful! You two have the room furthest down the hall on the left. Someone will bring the food to your room soon. We all tend to head to bed when the sun goes down, so we try to keep the hotel quiet during the night.”

“Thank you. We have two eel hounds, is there a place for them to stay?” Lin asked.

“Of course, we have a pen out back. I’ll take them back for you, you two enjoy your stay,” he said, walking outside.

The two threw their bags down. “I am so exhausted from all of this traveling. I can’t wait to get back to the city and relax,” the earthbender said. 

“I feel you there babe,” she said. She heard a quiet knock at the door and opened it. The man from behind the desk was standing there.

“Hello, I just realized I forgot to share my name. My name is Lee and I’m the owner here. Here is your food, let me know if you need anything,” he said with a smile, handing her the bags.

“Thank you!” Kya said with a smile. She turned around and heard the shower running. She opened the bags and placed the food on the table while she waited for her to finish showering. When Lin was done, Kya quickly followed. The two sat in their wraps and shorts, eating on the bed. They were too exhausted to even talk, both agreeing to eat in silence. After finishing dinner, the two held each other and fell asleep quickly. 

Kya woke up to Lin sprawled out on top of her. She smiled, realizing Lin must have rolled onto her during her sleep. She gently kissed her on the forehead and tapped her nose to wake her up. “Morning baby, we have to go or else we’ll miss breakfast.”

Lin grumbled, but rolled off of her and began changing. The two closed the door behind them and walked out to the main room. Lee walked over to them. “Good morning! We have breakfast out on the table, feel free to grab whatever you like. Are you planning on leaving after breakfast?” he asked. At their nod, he gestured behind him. “Behind the building is a pen. Just open the gate and let your eel hounds out, be sure to close it when you’re done. Thankfully, we’re so remote here we don’t have to worry about thieves,” he said with a smile.

“Thank you for this nice stay,” Lin said. He smiled and walked away, quickly going to talk with another guest. The two women loaded their plates with dumplings, hotcakes and fruit tarts. 

“So, when we get back, how soon are you going to work? Are you even allowed to go back, did you ever join again?” Kya asked, taking a bite of her fruit tart.

“Well, Saikhan told me as soon as I had rescued the metalbenders, he would approve my application to rejoin the force. I’m not sure if I’m going to be Chief again, but I’ll figure it out once we get there. I’ll probably take tomorrow off and go in the next day,” she said, eating her dumpling. 

Kya leaned across the table and planted a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek, knowing the Fire Nation was more accepting. “Sounds good to me,” she said with a smile. “If you want, I can take you to dinner when we get back. I need to wine and dine you,” she said in a jokingly seductive voice.

Lin rolled her eyes at her antics. “That would be nice,” she said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Let’s get ready to go.” The two walked out back and let the eel hounds out, careful to close the pen behind them. They quickly hopped on and began to head back home towards Republic City. 

They had been traveling in silence for an hour when Kya cursed. “Spirits, I forgot we have to have a place for these eel hounds when we get back.”

“We can take them to Air Temple Island, I’m sure Tenzin won’t mind,” she said. 

The two continued talking as they traveled. The sun began to set as Republic City came into view. They guided the eel hounds towards the island and hopped off. Kya walked over to one of the Air Acolytes. “Hey, would it be okay if we left our eel hounds here? Tenny can use them if he needs to, I don't mind,” Kya said. 

He smiled. “Of course! I’m sure we can use them instead of taking the ferry everytime we need groceries,” the acolyte said with a grin. “I also have this armor for the Chief, it was left here after Amon,” he said, handing her the metal armor.

“Thank you,” she said, placing the armor in Lin’s bag.

“The pleasure is all mine, enjoy your night,” he said, taking the eel hounds from Kya. The two quickly boarded the ferry with their bags, ready to get back to the apartment. After a seemingly endless ride, the two walked to the apartment. 

Lin unlocked the door and opened it. She stepped into the apartment with a yawn, letting her bags drop to the floor. “I will deal with this in the morning, I just want to shower and sleep.”

Kya smiled softly. “I feel you. Go shower, I’ll make sure the fridge doesn’t have any rotten food.” As Lin headed towards what was now their room, Kya checked the fridge. She tossed out some chicken that had gone bad along with some rotten fruit. She placed the food from Ke in the fridge and placed their bags on the floor. She walked into their room with a yawn. 

Lin walked out, water still running in the shower. “I knew you’d be back here quick, so I left the shower on for you,” she said. Kya nodded in thanks and hopped into the warm shower. She quickly rinsed off, just ready to sleep. 

She changed into her sleepwear, wraps and shorts, and joined Lin in her bed, wait, now. their bed. Lin pulled her close and Kya simply pressed her head under Lin’s. “I love you,” she said softly. 

She pressed a kiss against her silver hair. “I love you too,” she said with a smile. The two fell asleep in each other’s arms, ready to face the next steps in their relationship tomorrow. For now, they just held each other tight while they slept. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at them go, having healthy communication!! The next chapter is just going to be fluff before Lin goes back to work. There may be smut, it depends on if I can write it without sounding like an idiot asdfklks 
> 
> Thank y'all for the nice comments! They really make me happy <3


	11. My Love for You Grows Stronger Each Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin decide to go on a date. After Kya spends the day shopping with Korra and Asami, the two meet up for their first official date. The night ends well for both of them as they fall more in love with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks: the longest chapter I've written! I decided to create a Pinterest board for this story, feel free to check it out for outfit and makeup inspo!  
> Link to Pinterest board: https://pin.it/4lkRZ1a
> 
> Most of this chapter is SFW, but I decided to add a little bit of smut at the end. It's marked by the line of asterisks in case you want to skip over it.  
> This is my first time attempting to write smut so let me know what you think! Enjoy <3

The morning light shone on the two women sleeping. The golden light shined in their eyes, forcing them to wake up. Green eyes met blue as both woke up. “Morning,” Lin said with a kiss.

“Morning,” Kya said, snuggling against her. They just laid in bed for a few minutes, enjoying each other’s presence. 

Lin pressed a gentle kiss to her head. “I’m going to go get breakfast ready,” she said softly, rolling out of bed. She put on some loose pants but decided to keep just her wraps on. She walked into the kitchen and pulled out the teapot. 

Kya got out of their bed and threw on one of Lin’s police sweatshirts. She walked out into the living room with a yawn and sat down at the table. Lin handed her a cup of tea and noticed her in her sweatshirt. “Are you stealing my clothes now?” she said with amusement.

“Well I already stole your heart, so your clothes are mine now,” she said, sticking her tongue out. Lin simply smiled at her, enjoying how beautiful her girlfriend looked joking with her wearing one of her sweatshirts. She handed her a plate of lychee nuts, rice, and fruit tarts, pressing a kiss to her head.

Kya smiled and leaned her head into Lin’s hand. “I went to this restaurant called the Mellow Unagi a few weeks ago, it’s where I met Asami. She also suggested the Jade Platypus Bear, Puron’s, and Soteye’s Hut. I want to take you to one of those for dinner tonight, do you have a preference?”  
  


LIn looked at her in surprise. “Well, they’re all a bit more upscale places. I haven’t been to any of those places, so you pick,” she said, sipping on her tea.

“Let’s try the Jade Platypus Bear then. I’m going to go shopping because I don’t have any nice dresses and I am taking you out tonight. Dress up for me,” she said, pressing a kiss to her head as she took the dishes to the sink.

LIn walked over and helped her with the dishes. “Sounds good to me. Do you want to call Asami or Korra? I’m sure they’re back by now and would love to go with you,” she said.

Kya nodded. “Sounds good! I’ll head over to Air Temple Island and stop by Asami’s. Do you want to meet back here or at the restaurant?”

“Let’s meet there since you’ll already be out. I’m going down to the station to talk with Saikhan for a bit, then I’ll come back and get ready.”

Kya nodded and ran her fingers up her lover’s muscular stomach. “See you tonight, my love.”

Lin kissed her, pouring all of her love and affection into the kiss. “See you tonight.” Kya turned and walked out, hips enticingly swaying. Lin quickly put a shirt and regular pants, unsure if she should wear her armor. She walked down to the station and opened the door.

To her surprise, Saikhan was there as soon as she walked in. “Well look at who came in today,” he said, punching her in the arm. “Someone’s been slacking on the job, shame on you for missing.”

She rolled her eyes. “That happens when a crazy bloodbender takes your bending away,” she said dryly.

“Spirits Lin, why didn’t you tell us? Are you okay?” he asked, concern in his voice.

“I’m fine now. Kya and I went to the Southern Water Tribe to try and see if Katara could help. She wasn’t able to restore my bending but Korra found a way to do so. I just got back late last night and wanted to see how things were going,” she said. 

“Here, let’s go to the office,” he said. “I want to ask you some questions but I don’t want to do so in public.” She nodded and followed him to her old office. “I’m glad you’re okay and got your bending back.”

She smiled. “Me too.”

“So, do you want your job back as Chief? I’ve been happy to cover for you while you were out, but it’s not an easy job.”

She chuckled. “No it’s not. I’ll be happy to take it back from you, as long as it’s registered in the system. I also have a potential candidate for a job here.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is it the woman you’ve fallen in love with?”

“If you mean my girlfriend, then yes,” she said with a slight blush.

“I can’t believe I lived to see the day that Lin Beifong got a girlfriend,” he said with excessive awe in his voice.

She gently punched him in the arm. “Come on Saikhan, don’t go sappy on me. Kya wants to get a job with the force as a healer. I think we can both agree she has a pretty damn good resume. She trained under her mother, the best there is.”

“Wait, you got together with Kya? As in your ex’s sister?” he said.

“Come on, it’s not like that! I’ve loved her since we were teenagers,” she admitted softly.

He smiled. “I’m really happy for you. You deserve someone like her. I think she would be a great fit for the force. Is she planning to tag along on missions or just stay at the station?” he asked.

“She said she would tag along wherever she’s needed. She’s a remarkable fighter and a fantastic healer, she’d be good anywhere,” she said, voice conveying all the respect and love she had for her girlfriend.

“Well as my last act as Chief, I want to hire her as a healer. She can feel free to join on full time or part time, we desperately need more healers around here. I’m officially transferring the job back to you, I’ll go fill out the paperwork,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It means a lot to me,” she said simply.

He nodded, knowing the weight behind those words. “Do me a favor, take her out on a nice date tonight.”

“Already one step ahead of you. We’re going to the Jade Platypus Bear tonight,” she said with a smile.

Saikhan smiled at her. “Go get her tigerdillo.”

She smiled and left the station, walking back to her apartment. She unpacked her bags and gently placed the cookbook Katara gave her on the counter. She read the ingredients for some of Katara’s delicious halibut stew. She went to the market and browsed the stalls looking for ingredients. She picked out some seaweed, sea prunes, halibut and octopus, planning on making her girlfriend multiple dishes. 

She paid for her groceries and walked back to her apartment. The earthbender placed the groceries away and checked the phone book for the number to the Jade Platypus Bear. She called and was able to successfully reserve a table for the couple. She sighed and decided to get ready for the evening.

She took off her wraps, deciding to wear one of her nice lace bras. She opened her closet, picking out a simple black blouse. She carefully grabbed her matching forest green suit and jacket. She pulled the pants on and tucked her black blouse into the suit pants. She pulled on her jacket and picked out a pair of black heels. She looked in the mirror, anxious to see how she looked. To her surprise, she liked how she looked.

The earthbender checked the mirror and fixed her hair, letting the gray hair naturally fall into short waves. She decided to put on a little bit of subtle makeup, quickly swiping on some subtle brown eyeshadow and mascara. After some hesitation, she decided to use the eyeliner Pema bought her last year. _“Come on now, everyone deserves to wear some nice makeup that makes them feel good,” Pema said, gifting her a bag filled with makeup she never thought she would use._ To her surprise, she had ended up enjoying the makeup and began practicing it on her rare off days.

After carefully drawing on two matching wings, she swiped on some nude lipstick. She anxiously smoothed her shirt out, making sure there were no wrinkles. She grabbed a black purse from her closet, the circular purse embroidered with the Earth Kingdom symbol. She closed the door behind her and walked down to the Jade Platypus Bear, excited and nervous for her date with Kya.

* * *

Kya walked out of the apartment and headed over to Air Temple Island. After a quick ferry ride, she walked up to the temple, looking for Korra. Pema rounded the corner and excitedly waved at her. “Hey,” she said, carrying a bag of laundry under one arm.

“Hey,” she said, moving to help Pema carry the laundry. “Have you seen Korra? I thought it would be fun to go shopping with her and Asami.”

“Are you looking for anything specific?”

“Yeah, I have a date tonight at the Jade Platypus Bear. None of my clothes are nice enough for a place like that,” she said, folding the clothes.

Pema looked at her amused. “Is this your first official date?” At Kya’s nod, she smiled. “I’m happy for you two. I saw Korra about thirty minutes ago, she was meditating in her room. I’d go talk with her. Thank you for the help with laundry,” she said, giving her a hug.

“Of course! See you later,” she said, turning to find Korra. After arriving at her room, she knocked on the door. 

The Avatar opened the door. “Hey, what’s up?” she asked, sitting in meditation on her bed. 

“How do you feel about going on a shopping trip? I’m going to a nice restaurant tonight and I need some clothes,” she said.

“You may want to take Asami, I have no fashion sense,” she admitted embarrassed.

“I was thinking both of you could tag along, if you’re okay with that. I know there might be some tension between you two because of Mako,” she said.

“I mean it’s a bit awkward, but no better way to bridge that than with shopping,” she said, getting off of her bed. “Let’s go,” she said, eyes shining with excitement.

The two left on the ferry and quickly headed towards the Sato estate, hoping Asami was home. The two walked into the house without an issue since Asami had cleared them as guests free to enter at any time. 

Asami was walking down the stairs when she noticed the two come in. “Hey, it’s good to see you,” she said, embracing the two in a hug. “What’s up?”

“Well I have a nice dinner tonight and I need to go shopping. I thought it would be fun if you and Korra were able to tag along.”

“Thankfully you came on the right day. My schedule is clear, but shopping can easily take priority over sitting around. Come on, I’ll drive,” she said, guiding the two towards her car.

“So, why are you going to a nice restaurant? Do you have a date?” Korra asked.

“As a matter of fact, I do. We’re going to the Jade Platypus Bear tonight,” she said with a smile.

“You didn’t tell us you had a date! Who’s the lucky person?” Asami exclaimed, pulling out of the driveway.

“Well, a lady never kisses and tells,” she said with a wink. At their grumbling, she sighed. “Look, she’s not out to her family with her sexuality yet. We’re still pretty new in our relationship and I want to wait until she’s comfortable.”

Asami nodded. “Makes sense. I bet she’s hot though.”

Kya whistled. “Yeah, she is. She’s so muscular, it’s like her abs are made of steel. Despite her gruff appearance, she’s so sweet and thoughtful.”

“It sounds like you really love her,” the Avatar remarked.

“Yeah, I do,” she said with a smile.

The three began talking as they pulled up to one of the shopping centers in Republic City. “Alright, there’s a clothing store called the Brown Cat Deer. I know the name sounds boring, but they have the cutest clothes,” Asami said excitedly, parking the car.

“Show us the way,” Korra said, hopping out of the car

The trio walked into the store and Kya understood why Asami loved it. There were racks of beautiful clothes at surprisingly affordable prices and soft music played over the speaker. She was immediately drawn to a beautiful blue dress. She pulled it off the rack. “What do you two think?” she asked nervously. 

“Go try it on, we’ll tell you how you look,” Korra said.

Kya nodded and walked into one of the dressing rooms. She slipped off her dress, thankful she had worn a white lace bra underneath. She slid on the light blue dress that fell below her knees. The dress had a sweetheart neckline with short sheer sleeves. As she tied the blue-gray belt around her, she noticed the white flowers embroidered on the sheer fabric. 

She opened the door, nervous to see their reactions. To her surprise, both girls gasped.

“You look amazing!” Korra exclaimed

“Yeah, if you got some simple white heels to go with that, you’d look even more amazing,” Asami said excitedly. 

Kya smiled at the two and changed back into her regular dress. She paid for the blue dress and took the bag from the cashier. “Alright, you tell me where to go next Asami.”

“Okay, there’s a shoe store right next door,” she said, dragging the two behind her. They quickly found a pair of white heels and a small silver clutch to complete her outfit. Kya blushed as the two girls rambled about how good she would look. 

“While we’re here, you two get something,” Kya said. 

“Alright, but we’re going to make a trip out of it,” Asami said excitedly. The trio began looking through stores, excitedly buying clothes. Kya smiled when she noticed Asami and Korra both fawning over some swords. She was happy the two were overcoming their differences.

After two hours, Kya sat down. She looked at the clock and cursed. “Spirits, I forgot that I need to do my hair and makeup.”

Asami smiled at her. “Come over to my place, it’s closer than your apartment. I have a lot of extra makeup that companies send to me trying to get me as an ambassador, so I’m sure I have something for you.”

“We can help do your hair,” Korra said happily. 

Kya looked at the two, heart swelling with the love these two were showing her. “Of course, let’s go,” she said, grabbing their bags. The trio hopped in the car and drove to the Sato estate, gossiping the whole way. They walked in the house and set their bags down.

“Alright, follow me to my room,” Asami said, walking upstairs. The two followed her and turned to head into her room. “It’s a mess right now since I have a new project in mind,” she admitted embarrassed. 

They walked into her spacious bedroom and immediately noticed the large work desk that took up an entire wall. Papers were strewn everywhere and Kya counted at least three empty mugs of tea. “When I get into an invention haze, things get hectic in here.”

Korra smirked. “Well nice to know that Miss Sato isn’t perfect after all,” she said, dodging Asami’s slap. 

Kya rolled her eyes at the two. “Where do you want me to sit?”

“There’s a vanity by my bed, feel free to use any of that makeup,” she said, gesturing towards a large box. 

Korra whistled. “Damn Salami, why do they send you so much makeup?”

She rolled her eyes at the nickname. “Well, obviously since I’m a Sato, I get featured on the news a lot. They hope that if they send me their products, I’ll wear them and endorse their brand. It’s ridiculous but I try to donate my unused makeup to those who need it. Obviously, I’ve been busy so that hasn’t happened,” she said with a sigh.

“Thank you for this dear,” she said, giving the young girl a hug. She started before quickly hugging back. “Now, what should I do?”

“Oh, you should do a smokey eye!” Korra said excitedly. 

Kya laughed. “I don’t even know what that is,” she admitted. “I’m not too makeup savvy, all I can do is lipstick, mascara and a bit of blush.”

“If you want, I can do it for you,” the engineer offered. 

“That would be nice,” she said with a smile. 

Asami walked over and began muttering to herself about colors. “How do you feel about gray? I think it would pair nicely with your dress.”

“Sounds good to me,” she said, closing her eyes. She heard the two muttering about makeup while they brushed eyeshadow onto her eyelids. A wet towel was gently wiped under her eyes. “Why did you two use a towel on me?”

“Well, when you do eyeshadow sometimes excess shadow falls out,” she explained. “Korra was just wiping it off of your face and you can open your eyes now.”

Kya opened her eyes, surprised at how great it looked. “You two did an amazing job, now can you hand me some mascara?” Asami handed her some mascara and she quickly swiped it on. “Anything else I should do for my makeup?”

“You should just do some blush and lipstick, let your eyes be the bold part,” Korra said, handing her a compact of pink blush. The older woman quickly swiped a brush across her face and Asami handed her a subtle nude lip. 

After applying the lipstick, she admired her makeup in the mirror. “You two did a great job, thank you.”   
  


“Can we do your hair?” Asami asked. At Kya’s nod, she gestured at Korra. “Can you grab the brush and some hair ties from my bathroom?” Korra left the room and Asami pulled her into a hug. 

“I used to do makeup with my mom when I was little,” she said, eyes slightly filling with tears. “I haven’t had anyone do this with me in so long, thank you.”

Kya pulled her in tightly. “Of course dear. We will definitely make time for more girls days in the future,” she said. 

Korra walked back in holding the brush. “Here, let me do a hairstyle my mom taught me.” She gently combed out her silver hair. “She taught me how to braid hair in a way where one strand falls through. She called it a waterfall braid,” she said, quickly twisting the hair. “When the two ends meet up, she taught me to put it in a nice braid.”

Kya looked in the mirror, silver hair falling down her shoulders. “Thank you two so much, you made me look amazing.” She pulled them in for a hug. “Let me change and the outfit will be fully complete,” she said, walking into the bathroom. She slid on the dress and pulled the zipper up. She grabbed her heels and clutch, quickly slipping the shoes on.

She anxiously smoothed her dress in front of Asami’s mirror. _It’s okay Kya. You’ve got this. You look great._ She nervously walked out of the bedroom, anxious to see their reactions.

Both girls gasped and began showering her with compliments. She pulled them in for a hug and thanked them profusely. “Here, let me take you two back. I can take Korra back to the island after dropping you off,” Asami said. 

The waterbender smiled. “That sounds amazing.” The girls got into her car and sped away, excitedly talking the entire time. “We need to do this again.”

“Definitely! Spirits help me, your brother is amazing but he is so stuffy,” the Avatar said, sunset casting a beautiful golden glow onto her brown skin. 

Kya laughed. “That’s Tenny for you. Simultaneously the most boring and amazing person you’ll ever meet. Bumi is fun but chaotic, poor Mom had a hard time raising us.”

“Alright, we’re here,” she said, stopping the car. “Thank you for inviting me along Kya, it was so much fun.”

The waterbender gave her a hug. “Of course dear. You two have a nice night,” she said, turning to walk towards the restaurant. As the car sped off, she looked for her girlfriend. She realized Lin wasn’t here yet and just stood waiting. 

* * *

Lin walked up to the restaurant, looking for her girlfriend. She noticed Kya waving at her. She looked her up and down as she walked, heels clicking. “You look so beautiful,” she said, voice filled with love and awe.

“You look pretty good yourself Chief,” she said, lacing her arm through Lin’s. The two smiled at each other and walked into the restaurant. The delicious smell of Earth Kingdom cuisine wafted through the air, making their mouths water. 

The waitress smiled at them. “Hello, do you two have reservations?”

“Yes, I called in earlier. We’re booked under Beifong,” Lin said with a smile.

“Of course Miss Beifong, follow me to your table,” she said, guiding the two to a table in the corner of the restaurant. “What would you like to drink?”

“I’ll get some mango cactus juice, how about you?” Lin asked.

“I’ll get the same, thank you,” Kya said. The waitress walked away, leaving the two alone. “How come we don’t have a menu?”

“They have a different course prepared each night. They’ll start us off with some appetizers before the main course and, if we have room, desert,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “You seriously look beautiful tonight, did you do your makeup?”

“No, Asami and Korra did. Those two are so sweet and I can tell that they’re desperate for someone to treat them as normal. Poor Asami has to constantly deal with the press, Korra the pressure of being the Avatar. We have a nice time today,” she said, holding Lin’s hand under the table. 

The police chief smiled at her. “That’s nice to hear babe. Well, I’d like to officially welcome you to the force,” she said with a smile. “If you want, you can come in with me. I’ll probably only do a half day tomorrow.”

“Sounds perfect. So where did you get that suit, is it new? I haven’t seen you wear it before,” she asked, admiring her girlfriend in her green suit.

“Yeah, I bought it a few weeks before Amon. I was at some store when I saw it on sale, so I tried it on. To my surprise it fit well and I decided to wear it tonight. Now what about you, where did you get that dress?”

“Well Asami took us to this store called the Brown Cat Deer. They had this beautiful dress and I had to get it.”

She snapped her fingers. “That’s it, that’s where I got this suit. They have a really nice store,” she said.

“They definitely do.” The two slipped into easy conversation as the waitress brought them their cactus juice. The two sipped on their drinks as they were served appetizers of delicious tofu, spicy pickled kelp, and sushi. The main course consisted of pau buns, pan fried noodles, and some delicious lobster crab. The two agreed to skip on dessert, simply deciding to go home.

“Thank you for tonight, I really enjoyed it,” Kya said, leaning into Lin as they walked out of the restaurant.

She placed an arm around her girlfriend. “I enjoyed it too,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. The two walked back to the apartment in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other’s presence. Lin opened the door for her girlfriend, letting her walk into the apartment. The two simply looked at each other, soaking in each other’s beauty. 

*****************************************************************************************************

Kya crossed the room and pressed a kiss to her girlfriend’s lips. The kiss quickly dissolved into an intense makeout session that resulted in Lin pinning Kya against a wall. “Baby, what boundaries do you want to set tonight?”

“I don’t feel like having any, I’m giving you full consent,” she whispered leaning down into her ear. 

“Good,” she said, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt to press her into a long, searing kiss. She wrapped her hands around the muscular woman, palming her ass. “Bedroom, now,” she said, squeezing her ass tightly. 

Lin pressed a bruising kiss to her lips as Kya jumped up and wrapped her legs around the police chief’s waist. She carefully carried her girlfriend to their bedroom, Kya’s hands gripping her arms. She placed her down on the bed, looking at her with love in her eyes. “I love you,” she said, pressing a kiss to her, bending down to unbuckle her heels.

“I love you too. Now, I need you in less clothing,” she said, kissing her neck. Lin pulled her jacket off, letting it fall to the floor next to her shoes. Kya pulled her to the bed and climbed on top of her. She tugged her shirt off, pressing kisses all over her pale chest. “Look at you gorgeous,” she said, voice full of love.

Lin blushed at the praise. “Look at how far your blush goes, it goes all the way down to your chest,” she said, running her hands across the now red skin. “I wonder how deep it goes,” she mused, gently running her hands across Lin’s hips.

“Baby, please,” she said, not even knowing what she was begging for. All she knew was that she needed Kya. “Please, I need you.”

Kya’s heart melted. “Look at you asking so nicely,” she said, pressing a kiss to her lips. She ran her fingers down the police chief’s abs, hands circling her waist. She reached for the zipper on Lin’s pants, glancing at her for permission. At the enthusiastic nod she received, she unzipped her lover’s pants and tossed them to the floor. 

Lin felt herself get wet as Kya straddled her fully clothed. “Please, can I take your dress off baby?” she begged. At the nod she received, she bent the zipper down. She pulled the dress off of her, admiring the brown skin revealed to her. Kya kicked her shoes off, leaning over her. She grabbed her in a searing kiss, pouring all of her love and attraction into the searing kiss.

Her hands gently slid down her lover’s muscular back. “I like how you look beneath me,” she said, gently biting onto her neck. She sucked a dark mark on her neck, admiring her girlfriend’s gentle whimpers. “Someone is sounding needy,” she said teasingly. 

Lin reached up for her girlfriend’s bra. “As nice as you look in that bra, I’d prefer to see you without,” she said, unhooking the bra. Kya tossed it over her shoulder, letting her breasts fall down. 

She smirked at Lin’s staring. “Enjoying what you see?”

“Very much so,” she said. Kya took her bra off, admiring her girlfriend’s pale breasts. 

She felt her squirm beneath her. “Don’t move,” she said, pressing her chest against her girlfriends. She ran her hands across her chest, gently squeezing. She took one of her pink nipples into her mouth, enjoying the breathy moans she got as a response. She gently gripped the pink bud between her teeth and flicked it with her tongue. 

Lin felt herself getting even more wet at the sight of Kya gently loving on her chest. “Please,” she said, voice embarrassingly high. The silver haired woman simply moved to the next breast, lavishing it with attention. 

“Until I hear you begging for me, you’ll get what I give you,” she said, running her hands across her stomach.

“Please, baby. I need you,” she said, pushing her hips up. 

“You’re going to need to be more specific,” she said, gently kissing her above her underwear. 

“Please, take my underwear off. Make me yours,” she begged.

Kya felt a fire ignite in her at those words. She pulled her underwear off, enjoying the pale skin exposed. She gently swatted her ass and enjoyed the moans she got in response. “Now, I’m going to make you mine,” she said, sliding her underwear off. “I expect to hear every little noise you make as you beg for me.”

Lin nodded furiously. “Fuck,” she whimpered as Kya slid a finger through her folds. 

“Look at how wet you are, all for me,” she said, gently pressing a finger against her clit. Lin’s knees began to shake and she chuckled. “Keep your legs open for me,” she said, nudging her legs open. 

Lin tried to keep her legs open as Kya bent down. She pressed a line of kisses down her stomach right to where Lin needed her most. She gently flicked her tongue against her clit, enjoying the sensitive moan she got in response. “You’re so reactive,” she praised. 

Lin felt herself get even more wet at the praise. Kya gently began fucking her with her tongue, causing Lin’s thighs to shake. Kya’s hands pinned her legs down, forcing her to take what was being given. She began moaning even more as her lover fucked her intensely with her tongue. 

Kya pulled back, enjoying the flushed look on Lin’s face. “I’m going to fuck you with my fingers. I want to see you come apart on my fingers,” she said, rubbing her clit in circles.

“Fuck,” she said. “Please, make me yours,” she whined. Kya pressed a gentle kiss in a silent promise to take care of her. She pressed one finger in, watching Lin’s face to make sure she wasn’t causing any pain. She gently eased her finger in and out, watching as her hips began to thrust down and meet her. 

“Are you ready for two fingers?” she asked. At her lover’s nod, she eased a second finger into her. She let her adjust to the sensation and quickly began fucking her. She reached inside, gently pressing on her lover’s walls. 

“Fuck baby,” she whined. She let whimpers escape her as Kya fucked her hard. She felt herself getting heavily turned on as Kya began pressing on her clit with her thumb. “Baby, I’m getting close,” she said with a whine. 

“Good,” Kya said, continuing to fuck her hard. She felt herself getting wet at her girlfriend’s breathy moans. 

“Baby, I’m so close,” she said. “Please, make me cum,” she whined.

“Aww does my little slut need some help? Don’t worry, I’m right here baby. Just keep fucking yourself on my fingers princess,” she said, fucking her even harder.

Lin cried out Kya’s name as she came, walls contracting around her fingers. She gently eased her down from her orgasm before fucking her again with her tongue. She cried out from the overstimulation, causing Kya to look at her in concern. “Does my baby need me still? Do you need to cum on my mouth?” she asked, tracing her fingers under Lin’s chin.

“I need you,” she said, voice broken. Kya simply bent back down and fucked her hard and fast with her tongue. She could tell her lover was closed based off of how tightly her thighs were around her head. She gently rolled her clit between her teeth, feeling Lin’s thighs shake even more. She began fucking her again with her tongue, but this time she rubbed Lin’s clit with her fingers. 

“Fuck,” she whimpered as she came for the second time. Kya gently eased her through the second orgasm and pressed a gentle kiss to her. 

“Are you okay baby?” she asked. 

“I’m fine, let me take care of you,” she said, reaching for her lover. She slid two fingers into Kya, fucking her hard and fast. She felt Kya’s walls flutter around her fingers as she quickly came. “Good job baby, can you cum again?” she asked. 

At Kya’s vigorous nod, she pressed down hard on her clit. Her lover moaned, quickly becoming overstimulated. She quickly came from Lin’s lavish attention on her clit. She came down from the waves of her second orgasm and gave her a tender kiss.

“I love you,” she said, wrapping her in a hug.

“I love you too. Come on baby, let’s shower,” Lin said, gently easing her out of their bed. The two hopped into the warm shower and tiredly washed each other’s hair. The two quickly finished their shower and collapsed on the bed. 

Kya snuggled up to her naked lover. “Thank you for trusting me tonight,” she said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Thank you for letting me,” Lin said with a soft smile. She captured her lips in a gentle kiss. “Goodnight baby.”

“Goodnight my love.” The two quickly fell asleep in each other’s arms, content and satisfied with how their evening ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am both proud and embarrassed to admit that I wrote this chapter for two hours straight and finished at midnight. Who needs sleep when you have fanfiction to write? I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for all of the nice comments, they make me so happy <3


	12. The Job Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin return to the station. Kya gets screened to make sure she's fit for service. The two have a nice healthy talk about boundaries during sex, making sure the other is comfortable. Lin also makes halibut stew, which turns out well to her surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a while to write this chapter after writing so much last night. Enjoy <3

The next morning, Lin woke up and looked at the beautiful woman sleeping next to her. She ran a hand down her lover’s bare back, just enjoying how beautiful she looked when she slept. Lin got out of bed and put on her wraps and some shorts. 

“I should make her breakfast,” she muttered to herself. She walked into the kitchen and began quickly preparing some rice, eggs, and fruit. She bent down and opened her cabinets, looking for a wooden tray she got as a gift. The police chief dished out the food onto two plates and put some tea in two mugs. She carefully grabbed the tray and walked into the bedroom.

Kya woke up and reached for Lin, frowning at her absence. She smelled food cooking and smiled, realizing she must have started breakfast for her. She laid in bed, not wanting to get up. She picked her head up as Lin walked through the door, carrying a tray of food. “Morning beautiful,” she said, giving her a kiss as she set the tray down. “I made you some breakfast.”

She put her head on Lin’s chest. “Thank you baby.” The two sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s company. She then sat up and reached for her tea. The two ate, just admiring each other’s beauty. 

“Thank you for everything last night,” she said, taking a bite of a peach. 

“Thank you, my love,” the police chief said gently. “I’m excited to go back to work with you.”

Kya smiled at her lover’s enthusiasm. “I’m excited to be working with you.”

“Okay so today is probably just going to be filled with paperwork for you. You have to get mentally checked and make sure that you’re fit to serve. After that, you’ll have to register with the station as an official service member. After you’re done, we can head home,” the police chief said, eating her rice. 

“Sounds good,” her lover replied. She gently pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, enjoying the blush she got in response. “Love you.”

“I love you too. Now get dressed,” she said, admiring her beautiful figure before turning to change. Lin pulled on her signature tank top and black pants before bending on her armor. She turned around to see Kya donned in her water tribe dress and her silver hair pulled up. She turned to fix her gray hair, cursing as she looked in the mirror. 

“Kya, can you heal me? You left hickies on my neck,” she said. 

Kya smirked. “Afraid not Chief. Your armor covers it anyway,” she said, running her hands down her metal armor. “Next time, I’ll be sure to leave them in a more inconspicuous area.”

“Don’t make me fire you before you even begin.”

“See you at the office, Chief,” she said, smacking her ass. 

Lin rolled her eyes and grabbed the keys. “Come on, let’s go.” The two left the apartment, making sure to lock the door behind them. They walked to the station in comfortable silence. She opened the doors to the station. “Go down the hall to the left. There’s a door marked Admissions, that’s where you need to go. Tell them that you’re here for the healer position, Saikhan started the paperwork already.” Her girlfriend nodded and turned towards the office. 

“Well, well, well, look who the cat deer dragged in,” Saikhan said with amusement. 

“Shut it Captain,” she said. The two walked towards her office. 

“Well, time to fill you in on all that happened while you were gone,” he said with a sigh. He quickly filled her in on the gang activity that had occurred while she was out. “We had some new recruits come in. That firebender, Mako, was one of them.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how his career plays out. I’ve noticed he’s rather driven and intelligent, but also extremely stubborn and hotheaded,” she noted. 

“Want to spar?” he asked.

“I wish I could,” she said. He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. “Someone left a hickey on my neck last night and if the force found out, they would catch onto our secret relationship your wife doesn’t know about,” she said dryly.

“Oh no, the horror,” he exclaimed dramatically. She punched him in the shoulder. “I’m happy for you. I can tell how much she makes you smile, you deserve this happiness.”

“Thank you. Now get lost, I have paperwork to do,” she said, voice full of affection for her close friend. He mockingly saluted at her before leaving. She sighed, deciding to get her work done. 

* * *

Kya walked into the Admissions office. She quickly walked over to one of the men behind the desk. “Hi, I’m here for the healer position. I was told Saikhan began filling in the paperwork,” she said.

He nodded. “Follow me ma’am, we’re just going to do some routine testing and background checks.” She followed him to a room with a simple desk and two chairs. “Alright, my name is Rir. I’m in charge of making sure that you’re physically and mentally fit to serve on the task force.” He pulled out a folder and opened it, reading off the list of questions. “What’s your name and who are your parents?”

“My name is Kya, daughter of Avatar Aang and his wife Katara.”

“What qualifications do you have to apply to this position?”

“My mother trained me to be a healer since I was seven years old. I began learning under her, and by the age of ten, I was able to deal with patients on my own.”

“Can we contact anyone within the city to verify these claims?”

“You can contact my brothers, Tenzin and retired Commander Bumi. You can also consult with Chief Beifong.”

He asked her some more questions about where she grew up and her family. “Alright, you passed the background check. I know that it’s incredibly boring and repetitive, but I’m sure you understand the necessity of it,” he said dryly.

“Trust me, I know all about it,” she said, waving her hand with a laugh. 

“Now that you’re approved for the background check, you have to undergo a unique series of training exercises. Your program is catered towards your abilities as a healer, so this will be less combat focused. We will run you through two scenarios and see how you deal with problems as they come to you. After this physical test, we’re going to do a mental one,” he said.

She nodded and quickly prepared herself for the test. After two intense combat simulations, she earned a nod of approval from Rir. “As expected, you pass with flying colors. Now, this mental test is rather simple. This is a series of questions that you will be expected to answer honestly. After this simple test, you will have to undergo a medical exam tomorrow.”

She nodded. “Sounds good to me. Can we begin with the test?”

“How would you describe your current mental health?” he asked.

“It’s honestly really great. I moved away from the South and my mother in order to find who I am outside of my family. I’ve quickly discovered my identity and have found a lot of happiness,” she said with a smile.

“Do you have any pre-existing conditions?”

“No.”

After some brief questioning about her mental health, he gave a satisfied nod. “Well, I think you’ll be a great candidate. We simply have to undergo the medical exam and wait for those results. If they come back and clear you for service, we’ll notify you about your start date. Thank you, you’re free to go home,” he said, extending his hand.

She grabbed it and gave a firm handshake. “Thank you, have a nice day.” She left the station and decided to just walk around the city for a bit. She quickly found herself at the Winter Bison and walked into the shop. 

The homey smell of jasmine incense wafted through the air. “Hello dear,” Ialli said from behind the counter.

“Hello,” she said with a smile. “How have you been?”

“Things were scary for a while with the Equalists, but it’s returning to normal now. How about you?”

She sighed. “Things were really challenging and I’m honestly still a bit scared. Other than that fear, things have been really good,” she said with a smile. 

Ialli held her hand. “I understand how you feel. I was worried for you, but I’m glad to see that you’re okay.” The two spent time talking and catching up. 

Kya browsed the shop, grabbing some crystals and incense for the apartment. She took her purchases up to the counter, continuing to chat as Ialli rang up her purchases. “Thank you for everything.”

“The pleasure is all mine dear. Have a nice day,” she said with a smile. Kya left the shop with her purchases and walked home with a smile. The sun beat down on her back as she opened the door to the apartment, surprised to see Lin home already at the stove. 

“Hey, did you get off early?” she asked.

“Yeah I did. Go shower, I’m making dinner,” she said with a smile, glasses perched on her nose. “I hope you’re hungry for some halibut stew.”

Kya walked up behind her and gave her a kiss. “I always am. Where did you get this recipe?”

“Your mom gave me her recipe book,” she said softly. “I bought the supplies a few days ago and I was planning to make this for you. Go relax, let me take care of you.”

Kya pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I love you,” she said softly. She walked to their bathroom and quickly showered. She stepped out of the shower and simply put on her wraps and some shorts. After realizing she’d get cold, she stuck on one of Lin’s police sweatshirts.

Lin looked up from her cooking to see her girlfriend clad in one of her RCPD sweatshirts and shorts. She shook her head and chuckled in amusement. “Stop stealing my damn clothes,” she said, swatting her gently. 

“Make me,” she said, sticking her tongue out. Lin rolled her eyes, unable to be mad at her. Kya walked over to her bookshelf, looking for a book to read.

“I recommend the Dragon’s Crossing. It’s a trashy romance novel, but it’s interesting,” her girlfriend said. Kya rolled her eyes and grabbed the book from the shelf. She sat down on the couch and threw a blanket over her legs and opened the book.

Lin looked up to see Kya huddled in her sweatshirt and reading a book. Her heart swelled and she continued cooking. She let the stew boil, the delicious smell wafting through the apartment. The two sat in comfortable silence until the stew was ready. “Dinner’s ready,” she said softly. 

Kya stood up off the couch and stretched, showing a tantalizing stretch of dark skin. “How was your day?” she asked, taking the bowl of stew Lin handed her.

“Mostly filled with paperwork. I did scare some of the rookies though. Apparently, I look like I’m going to kill them,” she said with a snort.

“I’d say that you’d kill me, but you already murdered this pussy,” she said.

Lin choked on her stew. “Kya!!” she exclaimed, slapping her arm. 

Her girlfriend just winked at her, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Lin rolled her eyes and continued eating. The two ate dinner in relative silence. “Thank you. This tastes exactly like Mom’s,” she said with a smile.

“I’m glad. I tried following her recipe, but I added a bit of extra spice. I love you,” she said gently. 

The waterbender smiled at her. “I love you too. Let me do the dishes,” she said gently. She grabbed the empty dishes and washed the bowls, taking care to make sure they were dry. Her girlfriend walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist. She pressed a kiss to the skin behind her ear, just reassuring her of her presence. 

“Hey, do you want to talk about last night? I want to make sure we set boundaries,” she said softly.

“Okay,” the police chief said, walking to her bed. The two snuggled together under the covers. “What were you thinking?”

“Well, I know that we need to set up a system. If things get too intense, I want you to let me know. Most of the time, people use a stop light system. Red for stop, yellow for slow down, and green for go.”

Lin nodded. “Sounds good to me. I...I liked the things you said,” she admitted with a blush.

“Okay, so noting that praise works. Did you like the nicknames? Some people like to be praised and others like to be degraded,” she said.

“Well, I liked both of them. Do you have anything you like?”

“I am down for anything, I’ll try anything once,” she said, pressing a kiss to her nose. 

The two snuggled together, falling asleep under the covers holding each other tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a surprisingly fun time writing smut last chapter. I will make one of these next few chapters straight up smut. Take that as a warning or something to look forward to <3 
> 
> Thank y'all for the comments and love! I really appreciate all of the nice comments :D


	13. Relax Now My Love, I've Got You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya takes her medical exam which determines if she will be allowed to serve on the RCPD force or not. She meditates at Republic City Park and remembers a fond memory of how her father taught her to meditate in order to help cope. After a stressful day, Lin helps her lover unwind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically all smut. If you aren't into that and plan to skip, just read the summary and skip to the next chapter! If you are into smut, enjoy these two lesbians <3

The next morning, Lin woke up to prepare for her day. She pressed a kiss to her girlfriend snuggled on her chest. “Good morning baby, we have to get up for work,” she said, hugging her tightly. Kya blinked her eyes open sleepily and groaned, reluctantly getting out of bed. She admired her girlfriend’s beautiful frame as she put her tank top on, gently slapping her ass as she walked out to the kitchen in her wraps.

Deciding to get a start on her day, Kya walked to the kitchen, setting the teapot on the stove. She yawned and placed the tea blend in the pot. She grabbed the leftovers from Ke and Lee, realizing they needed to clean out their fridge. She was so focused on preparing breakfast, she didn’t hear Lin come up behind her, intending to get payback.

Lin wrapped her hands around her waist. She pulled her tight to her fully clothed and armored body, bending down to whisper in her ear. “You don’t get to tease me like that,” she said, running her fingers along the top of her underwear. “You finish what you start,” she said, placing a hot opened mouth kiss on the skin behind her ear. She pulled away from Kya, who was now reduced to a trembling mess, even if she wouldn’t admit it. “Go get dressed before I pin you down on that couch.”

Kya stumbled into their room, putting on her dress as fast as she could. She looked at her flushed face in the mirror, feeling her legs shaking. “Get it together,” she told herself in the mirror. She sighed, knowing that today was important. She had her medical exam to determine if she could serve on the force, but she knew her brain would only focus on Lin. _ Why did the spirits decide to make Lin Beifong so irresistible?  _ She walked out of their room to see Lin placing tea in travel mugs for both of them. 

She looked at her concerned. “Are you okay?” she asked, concerned by how red her girlfriend was. She was worried she had pushed too far, but her response would let her know how she was feeling.

“I’m so turned on I can barely think. Other than that, I’m fine,” she said, eating an apple off her plate.

“Well, you have an important exam today. When you get home, I can give you a reward,” she said with a smirk.

Kya raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of tea. “I’d be more than happy,” she said simply, not wanting to show how much she was affected.

Lin smirked, feeling her lover’s heart rate skyrocket. The two finished eating breakfast and placed the dishes in the sink. They left their apartment, holding tea as they walked towards the station. They walked in comfortable silence. Lin noticed her girlfriend’s eyebrows furrowed in anxiety and she grabbed her hand. She rubbed circles on the back of her hand, offering silent support. 

Kya shot her a grateful smile, grounding herself by gently squeezing her girlfriend’s hand and focusing on the reassuring circles. The two arrived at the station and Kya turned to head towards the Admissions office. She simply gave Lin a nod, knowing if she said anything she might start crying in gratitude. 

“Good morning,” Rir said with a nod as she stepped into the office. “If you can follow me, I’ll drive you to the hospital where you will take the medical exam.”

She followed him and stepped into the Satomobile, stomach turning with anxiety. The two made easy conversation during the short ride to the hospital despite Kya’s nerves. She knew that she was qualified for the position, but she was afraid her age and health might fail her. She took a deep breath and went into the building, steeling herself for the exam.

After a few hours of invasive questions, prodding on random parts of her body, and extreme scrutiny, Kya left the hospital mentally exhausted.  _ I think I did well on that exam, but it’s so hard to tell when they analyze you like that!  _ She realized how untethered she felt and quickly went to Republic City Park. She just sat on one of the benches and quietly meditated. 

_ She remembered crying one day after school since some kids were bullying her. Her dad just hugged her tight. “Kids can be mean,” he said softly. “That doesn’t excuse it though.” _

_ Kya sniffled. “I just feel so angry and hurt. I don’t know what to do with all of this hurt,” the four year old said through tears. _

_ He grabbed her hand. “Come on, let me show you a way to help the hurt go away. Remember how I told you I lived with the airbender monks?” At her nod, he smiled. “Well, they taught me a few things. One of them was meditation.” _

_ “Here, let’s start with a simple breathing pattern,” he said, sitting cross legged on the ground. She quickly copied her dad’s position. “Breathe in, feeling the air expand in your lungs. Now, push the air out, focusing on the controlled breathing.” The father and daughter sat in meditation for about ten minutes before Kya smiled.  _

_ “Thank you Daddy.” _

_ “Of course my little koi fish. Let’s go get some ice cream, just don’t tell your mother,” he said with a wink, hoisting Kya onto his shoulders. _

Kya smiled, feeling her father’s love surround her. Aang may not have been as involved in her life as he was with Tenzin, but she still had her special memories with him. She smiled and decided to head back to the apartment.

To her surprise, Lin was already home and heating up their leftover halibut stew. “Hey, how do you feel?” she asked, clad in her casual clothes. 

She simply walked up to her, tears in her eyes. “I feel scared. I’m afraid that I won’t be qualified,” she admitted.

Lin kissed her softly. “It’s okay baby. Even if you don’t end up making it onto the force, I’m sure any hospital here would be happy to have you. Can you grab the dishes?” she asked.

Kya grabbed the dishes and placed them on the counter. “Go shower and relax, I’ll dish up the stew,” her girlfriend said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Kya nodded and took a shower, feeling the hot water release tension in her muscles. She dried off and decided to go the lazy route, simply putting on her underwear and one of Lin’s RCPD hoodies. She didn’t even bother putting on wraps. 

Lin looked up at her girlfriend in amusement. “Here, dinner’s ready.” The two ate, just enjoying each other’s presence. Kya finished eating and began washing the dishes.

Her girlfriend walked up behind her, arms circling her waist. “You know, I’m proud of you. If you want, you can have your reward,” she said, breath warming her neck. 

“I’ll take you up on that,” she said, putting the dishes back where they belonged. Her girlfriend gave her a searing kiss, pouring all of her love and affection into it. Her hands came to cradle Kya’s head and she began kissing down her neck. “Babe,” she whined, embarrassed at how high her voice was.

“You took such good care of me last time, let me return the favor,” Lin said, running her hands across Kya’s stomach. “Go wait for me in the bedroom. Wear only that hoodie,” she ordered.

Kya walked and took her underwear off, waiting for further instruction. “Do you know how turned on I get, knowing that you’re only wearing my hoodie? You just want the world to know how much you belong to me,” she said, walking to the edge of the bed.

Kya nodded, feeling herself getting turned on. “Please baby, I need you,” she whined. 

“I know my love. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you baby.” She gently laid her down, planting kisses on the inner part of her thighs. She ran her hands up and down, making her get even more wet. “I can see how much you enjoy that,” she said, running a finger through her folds. 

“Please,” she begged. Lin just looked at her and licked her finger clean. Kya felt herself get even more turned on, just waiting for her lover. “Please.”

“Please what?” she asked amused.

“Please, fuck me. Show me how much I’m yours,” she said. 

Lin smiled. “Thank you for using your manners,” she said. Kya opened her mouth to make a come back, but quickly moaned as her girlfriend began fingering her. Lin pushed her pointer finger in, watching her face to make sure she wasn’t causing any discomfort. 

“Aww, look at you blushing so hard for me,” she said, gently easing in and out of her. She pressed a kiss to the dark skin. “You’re so needy for me, I bet you spent all day thinking about how I would reward you. Maybe I should cuff you to the bed and force you to take what I give you.”

Kya’s hips thrusted up at the thought. “Please, more,” she said, voice broken. Lin placed a second finger in and began fucking her even harder. 

“Someone’s being a bit needy,” she said, enjoying the noises her lover was making. “Can you cum for me already, my sweet whore?” 

Kya moaned. “I’m close,” she said. Lin began to fuck her even harder and rubbed her clit with her thumb. Her other hand wrapped around her back and slapped her ass. With all of the stimulation she received, she quickly came to Lin’s constant stream of dirty talk. 

“Good job,” she said, pressing a kiss to her head. “I think that you were so good that you deserve a second reward.” She tied a piece of cloth around her eyes, blocking Kya’s vision. She gave a frustrated sigh when she heard her clothes hitting the ground, wishing she could see her beautiful figure.

“Patience my love,” she said. She gently untied the blindfold, holding a piece of metal in her hands. “I picked this out just for you,” she said, bending the metal into a phallic shape.

“You got me a metal dildo?” she asked.

Lin nodded. “If you want to try it, we can. If not-” Kya cut her off with an enthusiastic kiss. She gently eased the metal into her, not wanting to overwhelm her at first. 

Kya pressed her hips down. “Come on babe, fuck me hard.”

Lin smiled and began immediately thrusting the metal in with her bending. Kya began immediately moaning, desperately wanting to touch her lover. Lin moved her hoodie up and began lavishing attention on her chest. She took one of the dark nipples in her mouth, rolling the bud between her teeth before carefully biting down. She continued to suck on one breast while using her other hand to pinch the other nipple. To Kya’s surprise, she was able to do this while simultaneously continuing to thrust the metal into her.

“Baby,” she panted. She couldn’t even speak at this point, just calling out Lin’s name between moans and whines. Lin smiled, enjoying the effect she had on her.

“Can you cum for me again?” she asked, increasing the speed of the dildo. Kya moaned her name as she came, having her second orgasm of the night. Lin continued fucking her through until she was limp on the bed. She pulled the metal out and placed it on their bedside table. 

Kya reached for her. “Let me help you,” she said. 

Lin chuckled. “Baby, you can’t even move right now.”

“Sit on my face and I’ll let my tongue do the work,” she said, gently grabbing her hand. The pale woman carefully sat on her face. Kya began immediately fucking her with her tongue, enjoying the moans she got. She rolled her clit between her teeth as Lin desperately moaned her name. Within a minute, she quickly came, Kya’s tongue fucking her through the orgasm. 

Lin rolled off of Kya and gently pulled her close. “Thank you.”

“Thank you baby. I never would have thought that you could make me bottom so easily like that,” she said, smacking her ass. Lin rolled her eyes and simply snuggled her. They quickly fell asleep, extremely satisfied and exhausted from today’s events. The pale moonlight shone on the two women as they slept, bodies pressed so tightly together they couldn’t tell where one person ended and the other began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trying to push myself as a writer by writing smut, so hopefully y'all enjoy! I really appreciate the nice comments you leave, it makes me so happy :D


	14. The Head of the Healing Department

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin spend a day filled with meetings at the station. Lin tells Kya about the real position she wanted Kya in, which Kya immediately accepts. Raiko frustrates Lin and Kya along with his head of security, Rahu. After a long day, Kya uses healing to help her lover relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a slow in updates! My schedule is getting busy again. My goal is to update at least once or twice a week, more if possible. I'll just do the best I can, enjoy <3
> 
> Also: if I wrote a modern college AU would you be interested? It'd be more Kyalin centric, but they'd probably be older. Not sure about too much, but I want to write Bumi as a chaotic, feral history professor ajksfdjkldjk

Lin woke up the next morning and looked at her sleeping lover. Kya was still clad in only her hoodie, making her smile. She pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, not wanting to wake her up. She put on her wraps and clothes, deciding to start on the tea. She grabbed Uncle Iroh’s tea blend, preparing the tea. 

Kya walked up and circled her arms around her girlfriend’s muscular waist. “Good morning,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to her shoulder, still clad in only her hoodie. 

“Good morning,” she replied. “You go get dressed, I’ll get breakfast today. Even if you don’t hear the results today, you should be at the station. I have so many meetings today and I need you to stop me from committing murder,” she said dryly.

Kya snorted. “What are they going to do, arrest you? I mean, half of your officers are scared shitless by you and the other half respect you too much to even try and arrest you.”

Lin laughed. “I mean you aren’t wrong. Still, I work to stop crime not cause it.” Kya smiled and headed back to their room to change. Lin continued to focus on making breakfast. A few minutes later, Lin plated breakfast while Kya walked out, clad in her standard dress. The two ate and washed the dishes. 

Kya locked the apartment behind them as they left. The two walked down the street, casually talking about Lin’s job and stress. “I should get you lunch, you never remember to pack any,” Kya said.

“Well, at least I eat breakfast now. I used to skip and just drink some tea to wake me up,” she admitted. “I haven’t been very good about getting a consistent eating schedule.”

Kya gently swatted her arm. “Babe, you need to eat. That’s it, I’m either making you lunch or I’m buying it for you every day, you need to fuel that sexy body of yours,” she said.

Lin chuckled and pushed open the doors to the station. The two walked to her office and Kya immediately threw herself on the couch in her office. “Woah, this couch is comfy.”

“Yeah, this couch is one of the few pieces of furniture I splurged on. I knew that I would spend many nights sleeping there, so I made sure to get a nice one. It’s surprisingly comfortable,” she said, shuffling the papers.

“So, who’s your first meeting with today?”

“President Raiko. The people elected him and I’m supposed to fill him in on what exactly the RCPD does.”

“Won’t he find it odd that I’m here?”

“He might but I highly doubt that he’ll care. I mean, I did have an ulterior motive to bringing you in today,” she admitted. “If you pass the medical exam, you won’t just be a healer. You’ll be the head of the department. We’ve been needing a position after our last one retired and I knew you would be perfect.”

“Is that why my exam was so intense? I had thought that it was odd for a rookie exam to be so thorough.” At her nod, she sighed. “I’m not mad you didn’t tell me, just surprised.”

“I’m sorry, I was afraid you wouldn’t accept otherwise.”

“Baby, it’s okay. I’m not mad and I’m really happy that you trust me so much,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I know how important your officers are to you and I’m glad you trust me to oversee their healers,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

Her girlfriend smiled. “I’m glad,” she said softly. “The good thing is today is just full of meetings. Normally, heads tend to spread their meetings out over several days. I just try and cram them all into one day so my schedule stays free. You’ll get thrown into it at the most extreme level. If you can deal with a day this hectic, you’ll be fine.” She squeezed her hand, offering silent reassurance. 

Kya sat back down on the couch and sipped on her tea as they waited for Raiko. The two chatted easily until the man walked into the room. “Chief Beifong,” he greeted with a nod. “Who is this joining us?” he asked, glancing at Kya with thinly veiled suspicion.

  
“President Raiko, this is Kya. She will be the head of the healing department, providing her medical exam deems her fit to serve. I figured it would be important to introduce you two and have her see what it’s like with a day full of meetings.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” she said standing up to greet him, extending her hand out. Raiko shook it with thinly veiled distaste. 

“What qualifications does she have?” he asked unimpressed. 

Lin opened her mouth but Kya shot her a glance. “Well, I’m trained under my mother, Katara. I’ve served in many hospitals and helped a lot of people. Frankly sir, you shouldn’t question my credentials in the first place. Chief Beifong cherishes her officers and would only let someone she fully trusts handle their healers. I understand your skepticism, but I can assure you it’s not necessary,” she said, shooting him a cool glare. She barely resisted the urge to strangle him but instead took a deep breath and faked a smile.

He nodded. “Of course. Let’s get straight to business Chief. Crime rates have drastically gone up due to Amon, I want it handled.”

“With all due respect, I can’t do anything about that. After a life altering event like Amon and the Equalist movement, crime rates will go up. My officers are working on keeping the citizens of the city safe, but even they can’t stop crime,” she said.

“If we continue on the path that we’re on, crime rates will stabilize. They tend to skyrocket after these events but they always recede. I’ve been on the job for decades, I can assure you it’ll right itself out.”

He gave a frustrated sigh and forced a smile. “Well that’s lovely to hear.” He spent the next thirty minutes discussing funding, applications of the force, and general business with Lin, Kya silently observing. He then left and Kya wrapped her in a hug.

“I know you wanted to murder him and I’m proud of you for letting him live,” she said, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend’s forehead. 

Lin sighed. “This is why I do all of my meetings in one day, so that way I only spend one day dealing with this bullshit.” She sighed in frustration. “Next, we have to deal with the new organization under Raiko and figure out how to schedule guards at public events. His head of security Rahu seems to believe that I’m incompetent, but I disagree,” she said dryly.

Kya laughed. “Rahu is more idiotic then you then, and that’s saying something,” she said, sticking her tongue out.

Lin slapped her on the arm. “Stop being an idiot,” she said, voice soft and full of love. 

Rahu decided to burst in the door, making the two women raise an eyebrow at the young man. “Alright Chief, here’s the plan since you didn’t tell me one. So at public events we-”

Lin held her hand up. “I’m going to stop you right there. If you had bothered to read the material I sent to your office, you would have seen my detailed plan. Maybe your secretary misplaced it, but it’s been sent. Thankfully, I have copies,” she said, handing him a thick folder. 

“Each appearance will be cause for at least two of my metalbenders, provided they aren’t on a mission. There will be at least ten other cops in the crowd, disguised as regular civilians and keeping an eye on things. I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive kiddo,” she smirked. 

Rahu rolled his eyes. “Thank you, I’ll make sure to read this over.” With that, he turned and left, probably so Lin wouldn’t continue to belittle his abilities. The two laughed, unable to believe that he was head of security. 

The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings and observation. Kya groaned, throwing herself on the couch. “Meetings are stupid.”

Lin chuckled. “I’ll agree with you there,” she said, feeling a stress headache come on.

She looked up at Saikhan, who popped his head in. “Hey Chief, can I steal you for a minute?” At her nod, he dragged her into the hallway. “Okay so Kya passed her exam. I do have to caution against her appointment though.”

Lin raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. “Look, I can tell that you care about each other a lot. It makes me happy to see that but I’m concerned that your feelings might cloud your judgment. If she got into a hostage situation, how do I know you won’t let your feelings guide you to make the wrong choice?”

She sighed. “I don’t know what I’d do. That’s why I don’t make solo calls, I always consult with you or someone else on the scene. I only make solo calls in those situations if there is no option. I’ve been serving well for decades, I’m not planning on letting Kya mess that up, even if she is amazing.” 

She grabbed his hand. “I know it’s hard for you to be open with me like this, since I’m your superior, and I appreciate it. I may love Kya, but she understands that my loyalty is to the city first.”

He nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder, knowing she wasn’t huge on affection. He gave her a simple nod and left. 

Kya looked up from the couch to see Lin pop her head in. “Hey, I have some news,” she said with a smile. “You passed the test, welcome to the force.” Kya wrapped her in a hug and gave her a kiss, full of happiness.

“Come on, let’s go home. I just want to snuggle with you right now,” she said softly. “My head hurts and I just need you.” Kya nodded and the two left the station. 

Kya unlocked the apartment and walked into the kitchen. “Go shower baby, I’ll get dinner ready.” She quickly heated up some leftovers while Lin quickly showered.

Kya walked into the bathroom, undressing as she talked. “Hey, I know today was stressful for you. I set some tea out on the stove for you. Just pour a mug while I shower,” she said softly, not wanting to aggravate her headache.

Lin smiled and put her wraps on while Kya stepped into the shower. She sighed and decided to put on some loose sweatpants and a tank top. She poured the tea and looked up at Kya walking into the room, wearing an almost identical outfit. “I stole your pants, they’re comfy,” she said with a smirk.

Lin rolled her eyes and handed her a mug of tea. “Thank you for making dinner.” The two ate in silence. They tended to stay silent during dinner at home, just enjoying the other’s presence. 

Kya picked up the dishes. “I’ll get these. You go lay down on the bed,” she said, washing the dishes. Lin quickly laid on the bed, curious what her lover was up to. Kya walked in with a glass of water, placing it on the nightstand.

Kya sat against the headboard and put Lin’s head in her lap. She bent the water, causing her fingertips to glow. “Just relax my love, I’ll help ease your headache.” She pressed her fingers to her temples, gently easing away the pressure. She ran her fingers through her hair, simultaneously playing with her hair and helping ease the headache. She continued this until Lin was limp in her lap, just full of contentment. 

She quietly laughed and pulled her under the covers. “Goodnight babe,” she said, crawling on top of her and placing her head on her chest.

Lin smiled, pulling her tight. “Goodnight my love.” The two fell asleep cuddling, just happy to be with each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the fluff <3 Comment any suggestions y'all have! :D


	15. I Won’t Break as Long as I Have You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin has more problems then she lets on. Thankfully, Kya is there to help her when things get overwhelming.
> 
> WARNING: This chapter deals with PTSD and how nightmares can heavily impact people. If this will trigger you, please skip this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To Linismybaby who commented "Hmmmm. Hostage situation, Saikhan why would you think of this? Hmmmm." Here's your answer. I honestly wrote that line with a different idea in mind, but I realized this would be perfect to show why Lin and Saikhan have a deep bond and explore Lin's insecurities. Thank you so much for all of the nice comments you leave me love, I really appreciate it <3
> 
> Enjoy!

_ She opened her eyes, looking up at the stone building that held several of her friends and coworkers captive. She felt anger rise within her and moved to step forward, stopped by a hand on her shoulder. “Lin, I know that you’re angry right now, but we have to be rational,” her mother said. _

_ Lin looked at her in shock. “Chief, several of our officers are in there. We can’t let them get away with this.” _

_ “And we won’t. For now though, we have to wait for backup. Don’t let your feelings cloud your judgement,” the blind earthbender warned. _

_ Lin sighed and rolled her eyes, reluctantly standing by her mother. After a few minutes of waiting, something felt wrong in her gut. “Chief, I’m going in. I don’t have a good feeling about this,” she said, whipping her cables out and walking towards the building. _

_ “Lin! Get back here at once, don’t be reckless!” she called out after her. The new officer simply grimaced, feeling an impending sense of doom. She quickly and quietly scaled up the building, not wanting to alert the gang members to her presence. Several of their officers, including Saikhan, were tied together. The gang members walked around them in a menacing circle, knives in hand. _

_ She quickly bent the metal knives away from her fellow officers as she broke the window in. She sent her cable towards the rope, cutting her coworkers free. They all stood up and began fighting back. “We need to get out of here!” called one of her coworkers. “I heard them mention something about a bomb! Officer Beifong, you take the injured back down with me, the rest of you go,” Raina barked.  _

_ “Yes ma’am!” Lin quickly picked up her injured friend Saikhan and one of her coworkers that she couldn’t remember the name of. She quickly scaled them down the building, Raina following after her. The moment Lin’s feet touched the ground, the bomb went off. _

_ The building collapsed in a haze of smoke and fire. “Raina!” she called out. She quickly handed the injured to the healers on site and went back in, looking for her fellow officers.  _

_ Her mother came up behind her, anger on her face. “Look at what you did! No one could have survived that Lin, they’re dead because of you,” she spat. “I have to tell their families that their loved ones aren’t coming home because you couldn’t wait for backup!” _

_ “What about those I saved? If I hadn’t acted, the bomb might have gone off sooner!” _

_ “The important thing is it might have. You never react to a situation like that unless you are one hundred percent certain your officers are in danger, don’t go based off of a gut feeling. You caused their deaths,” she said, spinning around. “I have to go inform their families now.” She walked off, leaving Lin staring at the smoldering ruins, feeling the guilt crush her. _

_ The scene quickly shifted to Amon. He placed his hand on her forehead, taking away her bending. “The mighty Chief Beifong crumbles,” he noted with amusement as she collapsed to the ground. “I must thank you for bringing the Avatar and your little airbender friend.” _

_ She weakly lifted her head and saw Korra and Tenzin racing to her. She tried to call out a warning, but it was too late. The two collapsed to the ground and Amon walked over and took their bending away. He turned and looked at her with a smirk before revealing a knife. He ran the blade along her chin with a wicked grin. “We’re going to have some fun.”  _

She woke up with a start, panting. She quickly rolled out of bed and placed her feet on the floor, desperate to feel her bending again. She began to slightly calm, reassuring herself by feeling the vibrations in the earth. Then,the memories of the bombing came rushing back, drowning her in a river of guilt. She collapsed on the floor, sitting and desperately rocking to calm herself down. 

Kya woke up to a thud. She sleepily opened her eyes to see Lin shaking on the floor. She began rocking and Kya’s heart broke. She quickly got out of bed, wide awake now. She heard her muttering to herself about how it was all her fault. “Hey baby, can you look at me?” she asked gently.

Lin looked at her with dazed eyes. “Okay, you’re panicking right now. Can I touch you?” At her shaky nod, she quickly wrapped her arms around her, giving Lin plenty of time to push her away. Instead, Lin pulled her in tighter. 

“Hey baby, I’m right here. I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk,” she said, gently placing her head on her shoulder. She held her tight and whispered reassurance as her girlfriend began to sob. After an agonizingly long time, Lin tucked her head into her shoulder, tears finally stopping. “Hey, do you want me to get you some tea?” she asked. 

“Yes please,” she said, voice hoarse from crying.

“Okay, can you stand up? I want you to stay with me,” she said gently. Lin shakily got up, Kya immediately there to wrap her arms around her shoulders. She guided Lin to the kitchen table and had her sit down while she prepared tea.  _ I’ve never seen her this broken before, I hope I can help ease the pain. _ She glanced at her every few minutes, concerned that her girlfriend would be crying again. To her surprise and heartbreak, Lin just stared at the table, looking helplessly broken.

Kya placed a hot mug of lavender tea in front of her. “Here, it’s lavender. It should help you relax.” Her girlfriend took a sip, shooting her a grateful smile. She sat down and grasped her free hand tightly. “I don’t know what happened to you in your dreams, but if you want to talk I’m here.”

“I know. I...I’ll try,” she said, voice broken. The two sat in silence, drinking tea until Lin sighed. “The second part of my dream is what woke me up. The first part is what caused...this,” she said, gesturing to herself.

“Amon took my bending away again. This time, he managed to get Korra and Tenzin as well,” she said, voice oddly detached, as if any hint of emotion would cause her to break down. “The first part was a memory.”

“Soon after I joined the force, we had a hostage situation. I went against my mom’s advice and acted, going on my feelings. I think my emotions may have clouded my judgement, I’m not sure. We-” Her voice broke and tears rolled down her face. “We lost a few officers that night. As my mom kept emphasizIng for the next few years, it was all my fault. If I had kept a level head, they might still be alive,” she said, voice breaking.

Kya squeezed her hand. “Hey, they knew the risks of the job when they signed up. You did the best you could given the situation you were,” she said softly. “It wasn’t fair of your mom to do that.” She got up and put herself in Lin’s lap, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m here for you,” she said, pressing a kiss to her neck.

Lin’s eyes filled with even more tears. “I don’t want you to be there for me. I want to support you and I’m happy that you want to serve with me but I can’t do this. I’m already collapsing under the guilt from the deaths of my coworkers. If you died, I-” Her voice broke even more. “I couldn’t live.”

Kya’s heart broke even more. “If I die on the job, it will never be your fault. I swear to Raava, I will come back to life and kill you myself if I even think that you’re blaming yourself,” she said fiercely, holding her head in her hands. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone and I will be here for you.”

Lin began to cry, but this time in appreciation. Kya gently guided them back to their bed, snuggling up to her girlfriend. They gently sipped on tea and just held each other tightly. “You should take tomorrow off. You need it, healer’s orders,” she said. “You need to unwind, let me help,” she said as she pressed a kiss to her head. “We can go to the park or maybe even just go shopping. You need a day to exist outside of work.”

Lin nodded, knowing Kya would force her into it. “Okay,” she said gently. Kya snuggled up to her, tightly spooning her from behind. Lin was eventually able to fall back asleep thanks to the silent support of her girlfriend and the reassuring circles she rubbed on her back. Everything might collapse, but as long as they had each other everything would be okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this heavy chapter, the next will be a lot lighter. Soon, Kya and Lin will have to deal with their relationship at work and help some friends determine what their relationship holds in the future. Until next time <3


	16. Arms Tonite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin spend the day together. Lin gets a silver suit and drives Kya insane with her outfit choice. The two spend a nice evening together unwinding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically smut with a hint of fluff ;) Everything NSFW begins below the line.
> 
> I really loved y'all's comments on the last chapter. I want to clarify one thing: Toph was not intentionally hurting her. She kept reminding her of her mistake because she was scared. The Beifongs are emotionally constipated, instead of expressing her concern of if Lin was being held hostage instead, she just used tough words to try and show her love. Enjoy <3
> 
> Also: I was listening to Arms Tonite as I wrote part of this, hence the chapter name hehe

Lin woke up the next morning to the scent of jasmine incense and food. She groggily blinked her eyes open, realizing there was sunlight. She panicked, sitting upright. “Shit I’m late,” she muttered, still half asleep.

Kya popped her head in. “Morning sleepyhead,” she said with a smile. “I called Saikhan this morning after last night. Today is just us relaxing, you need it.” 

Lin sighed, putting her head in her hands. “I shouldn’t have dumped all of that on you. It wasn’t fair.” 

Kya sat on the bed, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m glad you trusted me enough to help you. I’m always going to be here for you,” she said softly. “I love you so much.”

Lin gave her a soft kiss. “I love you too,” she said, pressing their foreheads together. They got out of bed, only lazily lounging in their underwear and wraps. Lin wrapped her arms around her girlfriend as she bent the tea, pressing her head into the crook of her neck. 

Kya’s heart swelled at the trust her girlfriend had in her. The two ate in comfortable silence. “Do you want to do anything today? I know you don’t get a lot of free days, I’m not sure how you normally spend them,” she said, taking a sip of tea.

Lin sighed. “Honestly, I used to spend it cleaning. Spirits, I never thanked you. Ever since you moved in with me, you’ve really helped. You force me to come home at a decent hour and eat an actual meal. You’ve helped clean the apartment even when it’s my mess and I-” Her voice cut off thick with emotion. “I’ve never had someone do something like this for me,” she admitted softly.

Kya just held her hand. “I would do this for you in a heartbeat, my love. You deserve nothing less,” she said softly. She rubbed her thumb in tiny circles on her hand, just offering silent love.

“Well, I guess we can go shopping,” she said, grabbing her empty plate.

Kya wrapped her arms around her, fingers drifting across the line of her underwear. “That’ll be fun,” she whispered, breath hot on Lin’s neck, causing the earthbender to blush. “Let’s get going,” she said with a smile, walking off quickly.

Lin placed her head on the cool countertop, trying to get her breathing under control.  _ Agni, why does she have to do that? _ She sighed and decided to get it over with. She walked into their room to see Kya smirking. “You have a crush on me,” she said teasingly.

“Dear, we’re literally dating.”

“You didn’t deny it,” she said with a smile. Lin rolled her eyes at her girlfriend’s antics, choosing to just get dressed. She put on one of her RCPD sweatshirts Saikhan cut one night while they were drinking at her apartment.

_ “Come on Lin, cropped is all the rage,” he said, elbowing her. “Don’t you want to get yourself a nice date with someone as hot as me?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and she smacked him. _

_ “You wish you were hot,” she said with a snort. In response, he threw a pebble at her and stuck his tongue out. She rolled her eyes and took another sip of the cactus juice he had brought over. _

_ “Come on,” he said. She sighed and let him cut the shirt. With a surprisingly manic smile, he grabbed some metal and quickly bent it into a blade. He cut the shirt, holding it up to her. “There, now you can flash those abs!” _

_ She smiled, knowing her friend was doing his best to make sure she wasn’t lonely. “Thank you.” _

Kya turned around, feeling her heart race as she saw Lin’s outfit. She wore a cropped sweatshirt and those tight pants just to mess with her. “You torture me,” she whined.

Lin smirked. “Come on, let’s go,” she said, grabbing her bag and the keys. The two left the apartment and went down to the market. They talked, just wandering around the shops. 

“Let’s go in there, it looks cool,” her girlfriend said, pointing at a shop called the Jade Fountain. The two walked in and felt shocked. To her surprise, the place was filled with formal attire and dresses. Lin felt her eye drawn to a silver suit and reached out, enjoying how the metallic silk felt. 

The waterbender walked up behind her. “That would look so good on you,” she said. Lin nodded and asked one of the employees for the sizing. Realizing she had her green suit in the same measurements, she went up to the register.

“I’m going to buy this, do you want to get anything?” At her head shake, she turned to pay. She took the bag with a smile and walked out of the shop. The two spent the rest of the day walking around the streets, just enjoying each other’s company. 

They got back to the apartment and quickly ate dinner. Lin sat on the couch, feet tucked under a blanket as she read a book. Kya walked over with a yawn, loving how her girlfriend’s reading glasses looked on her. “Thank you for today,” she said softly.

She pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. “Of course my love.” 

* * *

The two sat on the couch reading until Kya got bored. “Babe, I want to try something if you’re okay with it.”

Lin looked up from her book. “What’s up?” 

“I want to tie you down tonight,” she said, enjoying her lover’s blush. “Tonight, I want to make it all about you.”

“Okay,” she said gently, placing her book down. Kya smirked and gestured to her to sit down. 

“I get to be in control tonight,” she said, walking over with a strip of cloth. Lin nodded, knowing Kya would stop the moment she asked. She let her tie the cloth around her eyes, blocking out her vision. Her soft hands slid up her back. “You looked so hot today, it’s like you wore that on purpose just to drive me crazy. I had to stop myself from fucking you in an alley at least twice today,” she said, guiding Lin to their bedroom.

Lin smirked. “I’m glad you liked it,” she said. She opened her mouth to make a comeback when Kya pushed her onto the bed. Her girlfriend quickly took her clothes off, letting them fall to the floor.

“Tonight, I get to be in control,” she said, walking away from her. Lin let out a whine at her girlfriend’s absence, but quickly heard her coming back.

“I’m right here my love, I just had to get these ropes to tie those pretty legs up,” she said, running her hands up her legs. 

Lin gasped, every movement setting her skin on fire. Since she couldn’t see, every touch felt intensified. Kya tied her legs to the bedpost. “Is this okay?” she asked. 

Lin gave a shaky nod, already feeling herself start to drip. She heard a smirk and receding footsteps. Quickly, she felt her come back to the bed. “You know, you look a little bit hot,” she said, enjoying the red blush all over her pale lover’s body. 

“I would recommend some ice to the most affected area,” she said, gently bending the ice into the shape she wanted while running her fingers through her folds. “If you feel uncomfortable at any point, tell me baby,” she said, voice raspy already.

Lin nodded, desperately wanting her girlfriend to make her forget her name. She gasped, feeling something cold prod at her. She let out a moan as her girlfriend pushed the ice into her. She couldn’t tell what was water and what was her just being wet for her girlfriend. “Look at how pretty you are like this,” she said, gently easing the ice in and out.

She pressed her thumb onto her clit, rubbing it into hard circles. Lin let out a whine, desperately needing her girlfriend’s skin on hers. She seemed to instinctively know what she wanted, gently laying herself down on her. “Look at how sweet my little whore is. Do you feel yourself dripping?” she said, running her hands across her chest.

Lin could only let out a broken moan, unable to even form words at this point. Kya just bent down and gently rolled a nipple between her teeth. With her other hand, she twisted the other bud harshly while lavishing the other with her soft mouth. 

Her legs began to shake, unable to control her body. “Aww is my baby close?” her girlfriend asked, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. Lin furiously nodded, just desperate to cum for her. “Well, who am I to deny my sweet slut what she needs?” she said, grinding down on her abs. “These damn abs were driving me insane today.”

She continued to fuck her with the ice while simultaneously biting down on her neck and running her hands across her chest. She left a line of hickeys down her neck, causing her lover to gasp. “That’s it baby, come for me my sweet little slut. I know how needy you are,” she said, grabbing her face and giving her a harsh kiss.

Lin saw stars as she came from her first orgasm of the night. Kya continued fucking her through it until Lin was laying on the bed, panting from overstimulation. She quickly eased the ice out and walked away. Lin opened her mouth to beg for her girlfriend to come back, but just let out a broken whine. She felt her gently sit on the bed. “You look so pretty like this,” she mused, running a hand along the inside of her thigh. 

“Please-” she managed to croak out in her broken voice.

Kya laughed, loving the effect she had on her. “I’m right here, I’ll take care of you,” she said, placing her hand on her face. The stoic earthbender immediately tucked her head into her hand, just desperate for her. “I love you,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek before settling between her thighs. 

Lin was unable to do anything besides lay there and take whatever Kya gave her. She moaned at her lover’s tongue gently running over her swollen clit before biting it softly. “Come on baby, come apart on my tongue,” she said before beginning to fuck her with her tongue. 

Lin let out a shuddering gasp as Kya ate her out like she was the best thing she’s ever eaten. She strained against the rope, just wanting to squeeze her thighs around her head and let some of the tension out. She felt herself nearing her second orgasm and opened her mouth to tell Kya before letting her head fall back with a moan.

Her girlfriend continued to eat her out as her body shuddered with an orgasm. “Good job baby, let me see if I can get another one or two out of you,” she said, gently fingering her.

She eased her finger in, carefully watching her face. She hadn’t tried to go for more than two orgasms in a row without much recovery. She knew how easily her girlfriend got overstimulated. As her face relaxed, Kya began to fuck her. She gently pressed a second finger in, enjoying the way her girlfriend’s walls fluttered around her. She was able to quickly pull a third orgasm from her and found the bundle of nerves she was looking for. 

“Look at how sweet my little slutty princess is. Not even three orgasms was enough for you, you need more,” she said, pressing down hard on the spongy nerves. “Come on baby, cum for me again.”

With a breathless moan, her girlfriend came for the fourth time that night. Kya simply kissed her through it before tearing her blindfold off. As Lin blinked, adjusting to the light, Kya threw herself on her and began grinding on her abs. “You’re so fucking hot,” she growled into her ear. “You look so sweet and pretty under me like that.” She pressed her lips against her neck, giving her yet another hickey. 

Lin just looked at her beautiful girlfriend as she grinded on her desperately. Within moments, she quickly came and slumped down. She untied her, gently easing her onto the bed. She stood up on shaky legs, returning with a cool towel. Lin just looked at her, too exhausted to thank her as Kya gently wiped her heated skin down.

Kya threw the towel across the room and placed her hands on her thighs, frowning when she felt the tension there. She gently massaged it out, knowing it probably came from the intense clenching her girlfriend did. She had noticed that Lin tended to clench her thighs hard whenever she came. 

While Kya took care of her, she muttered soft nonsense to Lin about how sweet and perfect she was. Lin half heard her, too busy with her mind floating. Kya smiled at her girlfriend who looked up at her in a daze. “Goodnight baby, I love you,” she said, pressing a kiss to her lips.

“Goodnight, I love you,” she said, voice hoarse from sex. Kya smiled and snuggled up behind Lin, gently spooning her. The two fell asleep exhausted and satisfied from the night’s events. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, having trouble writing fluff: huh let's write a bit of smut  
> Me, over 1700 words later: oh no
> 
> I'm so happy for the feedback y'all have been giving me. I've always been afraid to pursue writing, but even just writing fanfic is helping me feel confident. Thank y'all for everything and remember to drink some water after this thirsty chapter <3


	17. The Fallout (Lin POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin and Kya have a major argument. How will Lin cope with the emotional fallout?
> 
> This chapter is Lin's POV, next will be Kya's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to preface this chapter by saying Lin and Kya both hurt each other badly. I feel like they're the type to suppress how they feel and have it all boil over at once. Kya says hurtful things but so does Lin. I don't want y'all to think I'm hating on either one of my girls, I love them too much for that 
> 
> But, we all need a bit of angst >:)
> 
> Featuring Saikhan being a good bro and a concerned Mako

The next morning, Lin woke up to Kya’s arm gently draped over her waist. Kya’s soft snores were right next to her ear and her breath was hot on her neck. Normally, Lin hated people invading her personal space like that, but for some reason Kya just made her happy. 

She sighed, realizing she had to get out of bed. The police chief still felt too lazy to put on clothes, just walking out undressed. She prepared the tea and heard Kya grumbling as she got out of bed. She felt her lover come up behind her, knowing Kya still undressed as well. “Hi,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to her bare shoulder as she put her head in the crook of her shoulder.

“Hey baby,” she said with a soft smile, turning her head to press a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you for everything last night. You’ve done so much for me, not just in the bedroom. You actually push me to take care of myself and help me clean the apartment when you don’t have to,” she said, afraid she was rambling. “I just-”

Kya shut her up with a kiss. “I’m happy to do this for you my love. You make me happy and I want to help take care of you,” she said softly, knowing her lover’s tendency to spiral. 

Lin smiled and pressed her forehead against hers. The two just held each other for a few minutes, waiting for the tea to get ready. Kya then reluctantly took her arms off of her, knowing she had to get dressed. Lin poured the tea while she got dressed. “Here, I’ll get breakfast, you go get clothes on,” she said, poking her stomach. Lin rolled her eyes and got dressed. 

The two ate and drank their tea in comfortable silence. They left the apartment and went down to the police station. Kya noticed Lin seemed much more relaxed and saw how a day off removed so much tension from her shoulders. The two went their separate ways and went about their days as normal. After the day was done, they went back to their apartment and ate dinner together. 

* * *

This comfortable routine they had fallen into was broken about two months later by a small argument. Kya walked in, staying late at the station to help some new recruits with strained muscles, complaining about their intense training. She sighed, already in a bad mood when she realized Lin was cursing and pacing anxiously. “What’s wrong?”

“Almost all of the food in the fridge has gone bad,” she said, running a hand through her short gray hair. 

“What? I thought you went shopping yesterday,” she said confused.

Lin sighed. “I was, but then Saikhan called me in.”

“He’s been calling you a lot lately. Is there something else going on? Is there some kind of mission going on that I’m not supposed to know about?” she asked.

Lin rolled her eyes. “Everything is fine babe, just been busy lately.” The two then argued over where to eat. Finally, Lin slammed the teapot down. “Damn it Kya, something is bothering you. What is it?”

“What’s bothering _ me? _ What’s bothering you? You’ve been coming home late for the past two weeks and I can tell that you’re hiding something. There’s tension in your shoulders that isn’t normally there. Just be honest with me,” she said, irritated that her lover wasn’t being honest with her.

Lin exploded. “I have been! Spirits Kya, I’ve been working so hard. These damn nightmares have kept me up for so long that I stay at the station to work myself into exhaustion. I’m having Saikhan put me on everything he can because I can’t sleep anymore. I’m just fucking breaking,” she spat. 

Kya stood up, immediately throwing her hands in the air. “Agni Lin! What the fuck? You can’t just unload all of this shit at once damn it. You have to be open in a relationship.”

“Well what about you? Little perfect healer over there isn’t suffering from mental trauma that makes it hard for her to communicate, oh no,” she said sarcastically. “If you were that worried you should have said something earlier. It’s normal for your family to act like everything is fine when it’s going to shit.”

Kya was done, she was so tired of Lin treating her like a child and insulting her family was the last straw. “This is why your mother had to remind you of how you fucked up with Raini. Without her telling you the mistake you made over and over, you’d end up exactly how you are now: a bitter old bitch who can’t learn to communicate.”

Lin clenched her hands into fists. “Well, yet another fun family trait: attacking at weaknesses. You know where to hit exactly where it hurts, just fuck off. I’m tired of you trying to guilt trip me into sharing everything. I am not an open person but I’ve been trying.”

Lin turned to their room and let out a harsh sigh. “This is why you left, isn’t it? Once shit gets hard you can’t stay, you have to go off and leave. Your dad did it when he was alive. Your brother broke up with me because he couldn’t fucking handle the fact that I didn’t want kids and have emotional baggage. Just run, it’s what you do best,” she said, slamming their door shut. 

Kya saw red. She didn’t even reply, simply heading towards the room she used to sleep in. She grabbed one of her extra dresses she hadn’t moved to their room yet and stuffed it in a bag. She grabbed the bag and paused with her hand on the door. “You need to learn how to stop being such a bitter old woman. Stop pushing away the people who actually give a shit about you,” she said. She shook her head and walked out of the apartment. 

* * *

On the other side of the door to their bedroom, Lin collapsed to the floor sobbing. She just wanted her to come back.  _ This is why you don’t get anything nice. You always fuck it up. First you screwed Tenzin over by wasting years of his life with you. Now, you thought it would be different?  _

She curled into a ball, just rocking back and forth to try and stop the shaking. It got worse when she heard Kya leave the apartment. She tried to stop the tears streaming down her face, but she couldn’t control herself.  _ Everyone leaves because you push them away. You are a toxic waste of space who just can’t stop herself from hurting others.  _

She didn’t know how long she spent curled up on the floor, just trying to keep it together while everything was collapsing. She eventually ran out of tears and stood up. She walked to the bathroom, washed her face off with water and looked in the mirror. She waited until her face wasn’t blotchy with tears anymore and got dressed. She left the apartment and went to the station.

Mako looked up in surprise when she walked in. “Hey Chief, it’s late. I thought you went home for the night,” he said, voice slightly concerned.

She waved a hand dismissively. “I’m perfectly fine kid. I just have restless energy that I need to get out,” she said, fixing her face into a fake mask of calm. 

He nodded, not liking her answer but unable to do anything. She walked into her office and shut the door. She heard the sounds of those working the night shift come in. She looked at her desk, determined to get through as much paperwork as possible. She sat down and began to fixate on her work. She only stopped once the words starting blurring together and she could no longer see straight. 

She walked to the break room and got a cup of coffee. She didn’t normally drink the bitter stuff, but she felt like shit.  _ Everything is breaking down, I deserve some coffee dammit.  _ She ignored the looks of concern from her officers and avoided Mako’s gaze. “I’m fine, just on a case binge,” she said, taking a sip of the drink. 

Everyone nodded, too afraid to argue with her. She left the room and Mako stood up. He walked over to Saikhan, feeling slightly nervous as he approached the captain. “Hey, do you mind if I have a word in private?” he asked. 

Saikhan led him to the hallway, glancing to make sure they were alone. “What’s up kid? You’re shaking like a damn leaf,” he said.

“I’m worried about Chief Beifong,” he said. At his superior’s raised eyebrow, he sighed. “I stayed late last night working on some paperwork. I saw her come in as I was about to leave, so it was probably around ten or so last night. She went into her office and hasn’t left until now. She seemed really shaken, I-” His voice trailed off and he sighed. 

“I’m worried about her. She tried to put on a calm mask, but it looked like she was breaking. Can you make sure she’s actually okay?”

Saikhan looked at him in shock. “She’s been working straight for twelve hours?” At his nod, he sighed. “Well, Lin is as stubborn as you can get. She should go home tonight, she does this sometimes. When shit gets hard, she’ll throw herself into work. If it keeps up, I’ll intervene. I would appreciate it if you didn’t say anything, we don’t need to start rumors,” he said with a pointed glare at Mako.

“I haven’t said anything to anyone besides you. Thank you sir,” he said with a salute, turning to head back to the break room. He poured another cup of coffee, just trying to get through the day. The firebender went back to his desk and focused on his work. 

The time flew by in a blur for Lin. She couldn’t make herself eat, the very idea making her nauseous. She knew repressing her issues wasn’t healthy, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.  _ It’s not like it matters anyway. If I show any weakness, it’ll be used against me. You’re a Beifong damn it, don’t break under pressure. _

She let out a frustrated sigh, deciding to take out her anger on a punching bag. She walked to the gym that was thankfully empty. She didn’t even wrap her knuckles, simply bending her armor off and attacking the bag. She kept pushing until her arms were shaking with fatigue but she couldn’t bring herself to stop.  _ I deserve this pain. I hurt her- _ She cut off the thoughts about Kya before she broke down again. She flinched at the hand that landed on her shoulder. 

“Lin, when was the last time you slept?” Saikhan asked, turning her to face him. “You have these giant ass bags under your eyes and you look like shit.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, turning to avoid eye contact. 

“It does. Mako said he saw you come in late two night ago.” At her startled look, he nodded. “Yeah, you spent an entire day working.”

“I-I was just in the break room this morning,” she protested.

“That was yesterday Lin. I came in early this morning to check on you,” he said. “I know you and I know that you haven’t gotten any sleep. You probably haven’t eaten anything or drank anything besides coffee.”

At her guilty look, he sighed. “I’m enacting the Wellbeing Code,” he said in a sad voice. “I have to make sure that you’re okay.”

She saw red. “I don’t need you to enact a damn code that says I can’t take care of myself.”

He grabbed her arm, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “That’s not what it is. Agni, it means that you’re jeopardizing your mental or physical health, which you’re doing right now. You’re coming home with me and I’m going to make you eat and sleep, no arguments,” he said, holding a hand up to cut off her protests. 

She sighed and let him take her to his apartment. She walked in, feeling the homey space embrace her. “Nice space,” she commented.

He smiled. “Thanks, here go sit while I talk with Hoya.” She sat down on the couch, feeling like she didn’t deserve any of this. She didn’t deserve Saikhan’s hospitality, understanding or kindness. She would just fuck up the one friendship she couldn’t afford to lose. 

She was so lost in thought she flinched when a slender hand landed on her shoulder. “Hey dear, I’m Hoya,” she said, extending a hand out.

“Lin,” she replied simply, shaking her hand.    
  


“I can tell you haven’t been feeling well. Come on, I have some jook on the stove,” she said, dishing her a small bowl. 

“You didn’t have to do this,” she said, feeling awkward having others care for her. 

“Nonsense dear. We had to clean out the fridge anyways since this one has eyes bigger than his damn stomach,” she said, poking her husband’s stomach. “We always have leftovers and end up eating jook with everything. If anything, you saved me time because now I don’t have to make it later.”

Lin nodded, too emotionally drained to speak. She simply ate, forcing the jook down her throat. “Here, I set up a place for you in the guest room. I have an extra pair of your sweats from that one time you crashed here,” he said, gesturing towards the spare room. She gave him a grateful smile and took a shower. She stood under the water, feeling unworthy of the kindness. She sighed and changed, letting herself flop onto the bed. Sleep quickly overcame her and she surrendered to the blissful black. 

She woke up to sunlight forcing her eyes open. She got up with a sigh, realizing she probably slept for almost all of the previous day. She quickly brushed her hair, attempting to make herself look somewhat presentable. She walked out into the living room where Hoya and Saikhan looked at her with a smile. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I feel better, thank you,” she said. Hoya dished her some breakfast, handing her a plate of rice and a small bowl of jook. “You weren’t kidding, you eat jook a lot.”

“Blame this one,” Hoya said, gently slapping his arm. He stuck her tongue out and she was hit with a pang of loneliness. 

They ate in silence until Saikhan addressed the elephant mandrill in the room. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

She let out a sigh. “Look, I’m not good with feelings but...I need to try. Kya and I got into an argument,” she said, avoiding his gaze. 

“Well, was it bad?” Hoya asked, concerned for her husband’s close friend. 

“She hit at all of my weak points. She reminded me about Raina. She told me Mom kept reminding me about it in order to help force me to communicate. She said to stop being a ‘bitter old woman’ and pushing away people who actually care,” she confessed in an uncharacteristically shaky voice. 

“What the fuck? That’s not okay,” he said, pulling her into a hug.

“I said some really hurtful shit to her too. I don’t even want to repeat it, but I did the same thing to her. I don’t know what to do anymore, I can’t lose her,” she said, voice laced with pain.

“You two love each other, I can tell based off of how you talk about her,” Hoya said. “You two are both stubborn as hell and seem to repress issues. You’ve probably had underlying issues and it all exploded.”

Saikhan nodded. “That doesn’t excuse her actions or yours. Honestly, you are both hurting and just need to figure out what to do.”

“That’s the problem, I don’t know,” she said, shaking and holding back tears. “I still love her but I’m afraid I pushed her away.”

“You two need therapy,” she said, voice strong. Lin looked at her in surprise. “I never thought I needed it, but after our first huge fight I realized I repressed a lot of shit. You’ve been through so much trauma and I’m sure she has as well. You two need to decide if you’re willing to forgive and work on the relationship or break up,” she said, voice soft. 

Lin nodded. “I’ll try,” she said, voice breaking. “I don’t deserve the kindness you’ve shown me.”

Saikhan and Hoya wrapped her in a hug. “You’ve done so much for us, let us help you,” he said softly. The three just held each other tightly. 

“No matter what happens, we’re still here for you no matter what you decide,” she said, placing a reassuring hand on Lin’s arm. 

She stood up with a shaky sigh. “I’m going to try and talk with her.”

“Go get your girl tigerdillo,” he said, punching her arm gently. She flashed him a genuine smile and went back to her apartment. She opened the door with a sigh.

She looked up and her heart stopped. Kya was already there. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, these two will be forced to confront their trauma together. It'll determine if their relationship will break or not. Stay tuned for Kya's POV!
> 
> Also, slight note from me: updates should be coming faster. I'm on Thanksgiving break now and have more time to write. I'll probably drop off with updates due to my finals coming up. I'm also trying to get back into my Red Lotus Korra AU, if y'all want to beta that fic, please let me know. Much love babes <3


	18. The Fallout (Kya POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin have a major argument. How will Kya cope with the emotional fallout?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter heavily mentions suicidal thoughts and trauma. This is definitely a heavy chapter but explains why Kya blew up at Lin. If you plan to skip the chapter, here is a summary:
> 
> Kya goes to her family at Air Temple Island after her fight with Lin. After having a nightmare bringing up fears, she finally talks with her family about her trauma. Her and Bumi bond over honest conversation about PTSD, trauma, and suicidal tendencies. After realizing she needs therapy, she makes the decision to try and heal, so she goes back to Lin's apartment to apologize.
> 
> Featuring: chaotic Bumi, supportive Pema, wise Jinora, and fed up Tenzin

Kya shut the door behind her, seething with anger. _She can’t just push me away! Damn it I thought we were being open with each other then she pulls this shit._ She paused in the hall when the thought raced through her head _What if she doesn’t trust me? What if she doesn’t love me?_ She felt herself breaking down and ran out of the building towards the people she knew wouldn’t leave her. 

She hopped on the ferry, holding back tears. The ride seemed to go by too fast and before she knew it, she saw Tenzin, Pema, and Bumi walk up to her chattering excitedly. She just looked at them and plastered on a smile, barely holding back tears. 

“Kya are you okay? You seem out of it,” Tenzin said as Bumi wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into her older brother, just enjoying his presence again. 

“Yeah, I’m just tired,” she lied, feeling like she was breaking in two.

“You know we love you, but if you don’t mind me asking, why are you here? Don’t you room with Lin?” Bumi asked. 

“Yeah I do.” She sighed. “I just missed you two,” she said softly. 

“Here, we have a spare room set up,” Pema said, guiding her to the room. “Are you okay?” 

“Yes I’m fine,” she said, ignoring how she felt like breaking down. _They have so much on their plate dammit, you can’t add to it._ “I’m just tired.” Pema shot her a concerned glance, but left. 

Kya took off her dress and changed into her sleepwear. She put her hair back in a braid, desperately ignoring the trauma that surged within her. She forced herself to go to sleep and surrendered to the darkness on the hard mattress. 

_She opened her eyes to a room full of her loved ones. She felt herself smile as she saw her brothers and girlfriend. She even saw her mom and felt joy rise within her at seeing all of her loved ones in one place. The smile froze on her face as she saw the sad looks on everyone’s face._

_“Why did you leave me? I needed you to be there with me, not off traveling,” Tenzin said, voice cracking. “I was left with the burden of an entire nation on my shoulders and you ditched me.”_

_Before she could reply, Bumi spoke. “You let me flounder on my own. I was a nonbender surrounded by bending prodigies my whole life. You always said you would make time for me, where were you? Why did you leave?” he asked through tears._

_Her mother looked at her with disappointment. “You dropped everything to come see me, even when I insisted I was fine. Did you ever consider that I didn’t want you? Did you consider that I would spend years resenting you?” Kya felt tears begin to roll down her face._

_Lin walked over to her, placing a rough hand on her face and wiped away the tears. “Did you ever think about how you hurt me?” she asked, tilting Kya’s head up to look her in those beautiful emerald green eyes. “When I needed you, you left me alone in our apartment. I trusted you with trauma and you threw it in my face. You knew how to hurt me,” she mused, stroking her face._

_“How do I know that you even love me? You can’t seem to ever be honest with how to feel,” her girlfriend said with a sweet smile._

_“I-” Her voice trailed off as she held back sobs._

_“Why did you leave us?” her brothers cried out. She screwed her eyes shut, desperately trying to block out the noise._

_“Why did you insist on attaching to me like some fucking parasite?” Katara said, voice laced with anger._

_“Why are you even alive? You’re just a waste of space,” Lin said, voice strangely devoid of emotion._

Kya woke up, breathing labored. The sunlight streamed in, disorienting her even worse. She felt sheer panic surge within her and she broke down. She didn’t know what to do anymore. She pulled her knees to her chest and began to sob, rocking in a ball. _Why are you even alive?_

The only good part left of her screamed at her to stay positive. _You didn’t mean to hurt her!_

The more toxic part spoke in seductive logic. _Well you did, which is no surprise. You always hurt those who love you. You push those who love you away because they’ll realize what a fucking wreck you are. You’d be better off dead._

She was so lost in her inner battle she didn’t hear the door open. She flinched at the slender arms that embraced her and the small weight that slightly dipped the bed. “It’s okay to cry,” Jinora said softly. “I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.”

Kya simply shook with more tears and her niece held her tight. _It should be the other way around. I shouldn’t be so fucking weak._ “I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, but it’s okay to accept help,” her niece said with a wisdom beyond her eleven years. “I still have nightmares from Amon, it’s okay to be sad.”

After what seemed like years to Kya, she was able to stop crying. She pulled her niece in for a tight hug. “Thank you,” she said softly, placing her head on Jinora’s. Jinora simply hugged her tightly, knowing she wasn’t ready to talk. 

“I’ll be okay, go spend time with your family,” she said. Jinora looked at her and opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it and left. She walked over to the sink and simply washed her face, trying to make it seem like she hadn’t just fucking broke down like a child. 

She walked out into the kitchen, ignoring the concerned looks from her brothers and Pema. She simply took a sip of tea and went outside without eating. She couldn’t make herself eat if she wanted to. She just took her dress off and went into the cool water of the bay. She simply floated in the water ignoring the voice that screamed at her to end it all. No matter how tempting it was to simply let herself drown and end her problems, she couldn’t put that pain on her family. 

She dove under the water, feeling the water embrace her like a hug. She let out tears she didn’t even realize she still had. She broke the surface, feeling the sun warm her face. With a sigh, she began to bend some of the water between her hands. Much like Lin, whenever she got upset, she tended to bend. She gently passed the water back and forth between her hands, feeling the bending help calm her mind. 

She eventually got out of the water and put her dress back on, bending the water off. She flinched at the rough hand on her shoulder. “Ky, you know I don’t push. Something is wrong and you need to tell me what it is,” Bumi said, voice full of concern. 

She looked at him with blank eyes. “I’m fine. I always will be.”

“Bullshit Kya! Jinora told me in private that she was fucking scared for you. She had never seen you break like that.”  
  


“I’m still fucking alive though! I didn’t fucking kill myself like I wanted to,” she said, voice cracking. Instead of responding, he pulled her into a tight hug. She let him lead her into the temple, tuning out all conversation. She looked at the ground, ignoring the concerned looks from her brother and sister in law. 

Bumi gently sat her down on her bed and sat next to her. “Tell us what’s wrong,” Tenzin said gently as Pema handed her some tea. 

She took a sip, feeling the lavender tea seep into her system. “I fucking broke down again. At least I didn’t kill myself like I wanted to, despite the fact that I’m a fucking waste of space.”

“Kya, what’s wrong?” Pema asked.

She laughed, drawing concerned looks from the other three. “What isn’t wrong? I just fucking snapped at Lin and threw trauma she trusted me with back in her face. I pushed away yet another person I care about because I’m a piece of shit.”

Pema looked at the other two, shooing them out of the room. “Tell me what’s wrong,” she said, sitting on the bed with Kya. 

Kya sighed. “Well, it started small. These past two weeks she’s been pushing me away and working longer days. Then we had an argument that blew up.”

Pema nodded. “Trust me, I know how you feel. What happened next?”

“I threw trauma back in her face. She trusted me and I broke that trust. I can’t even repeat the shit I said. She told me our family is good at hitting where it hurts and damn she’s right. Agni, she’s even right by saying we run when shit gets hard. That's exactly what I did.”

“Kya, I’m-”

She cut the other woman off. “Don’t waste your breath. We all know I’m a pathetic mess who can’t get her act together. I’ve….I’ve always fled whenever I loved someone. When I was with my first girlfriend, I broke up with her as soon as I started falling in love with her because I got scared. That’s why I stick to hookups, it’s less pain and less risk. I decided to take a risk with Lin but-” Her voice cut out as she sobbed. “But I fucked that up too. I don’t deserve to live with how I treated her.”

Pema held her as the other woman cried. “You did fuck up Kya, I’m not going to lie.” She grabbed her face and pressed a kiss on her forehead, knowing the other woman needed some love, even if it was platonic. “Lin fucked up too. You both said hurtful things and you both got hurt for it. I think you both need therapy, you’ve been through a lot.”

She let out a sigh. “Do you want me to be brutally honest?” At her nod, she took a deep breath and continued, “You have two choices: you either patch things up with Lin, go to therapy and resume your relationship or break up.”

Kya’s sobs intensified. “I can’t…” She paused, but her body was wracked with sobs. “I can’t lose her.” Tears continued to stream down her face as she wheezed out sobs. “I can’t lose the one woman I’ve loved more than myself,” she said, voice cracking. 

Pema stood up and grabbed a towel, wetting it with cold water. She walked back over to Kya and gently wiped the tears off of her face. “Then you’ll figure it out. You are the strongest woman I know,” she said softly. “You two will figure it out. Now, go to bed and rest. I’ll tell them that you’re okay, but they’ll probably still want to talk tomorrow.” Kya nodded and laid down in her bed. To her surprise, Pema stayed in the room, gently running her fingers through her silver hair. “It’ll be okay Kya, we’re here for you.” Kya was able to give a genuine smile before letting blissful blackness consume her. 

The next day she woke up with her head pounding. She sat up with a groan and noticed there was a note left for her on the bedside with a plate and a glass of water. 

> _Hey Auntie Kya,_
> 
> _We didn’t know when you would be awake so we made you some cookies! We were gonna make tea but then realized it was probably going to be cold. Anyways, here’s some cookies and water. We’re just out in the city, hopefully Uncle Bumi is still at the temple when you wake up._
> 
> _We love you,_
> 
> _  
> _ _Meelo the Manliest, Ikki, and Jinora_

She smiled at the note left for her, complete with doodles and a plethora of hearts. She gratefully ate some of the cookies and took the pain medication left with the water. She sighed, feeling her headache recede as she got food and relief into her system. She got out of bed and took a nice shower. She felt the warm water wash away some of her worries and gently brushed through her wet hair. After feeling more human, she pulled on her dress and walked out to the kitchen.

“Hey,” Bumi said with a smile. “It’s good to see you up.”

She shot a small smile at him when she realized he had prepared tea for her. “I heard the shower running and put some tea on for you,” he explained.

She poured a cup and walked over to him, simply holding his hand. “I’ll try and be open,” she said in a soft voice. “I’ve been dealing with a lot of personal shit and being on the force dealing with everyone else’s problems doesn’t help. Lin scares me sometimes. She came home one day and she was so injured she could barely walk, but insisted she waited because her officers needed attention.” She paused, taking a sip of the tea.

“She’s so damn stubborn it scares me. I’m afraid I’ll come to the station or back to the apartment and find her dead since she was too stubborn to get the help she needed. Agni, she’s so damn closed off with all of her feelings. If she has a problem, she’ll just suffer in silence. Despite knowing all of this, I fucked up her trust.” She sighed, feeling shame rise in her. “She trusted me by telling me about some of the shit she’s been through. As soon as it was convenient for me, I used it against her,” she said with tears in her eyes. 

Bumi squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You both said some cruel things to each other. It doesn’t excuse what you two said, but maybe it cancels out. You are an amazing woman and you deserve to live. You scared me last night by saying you wanted to kill yourself.”

“I don’t even know anymore. It seems like I fuck up something with every person I care about. The only good thing I can contribute to the world is my healing, but there are so many healers. I honestly just feel like a waste of space. I’ve never felt like I had a purpose, that’s why I traveled all the time when I was younger.” She took a sip of the tea, finishing the cup. “You know, I thought that I would find a purpose when I got older, but I never did. With all that I’ve seen and been through, it feels like I shouldn’t be alive.”  
  
Bumi nodded and let out a sigh. “Agni, you’re making me be honest which eww.” She punched his arm and he laughed. His expression quickly sobered up. “I know how you feel. After dealing with all the shit in the Forces, I have PTSD. It feels like I shouldn’t be alive with all that I’ve done and seen. It’s gotten better since I’ve talked with a therapist, but I still have my days. You should talk to one, you might need it,” he said gently. 

She nodded and let out a sigh. “I’ll probably go see one soon.” The two sat in silence, just holding hands. “Thank you Bum. I’ll go back to the apartment tomorrow and see if I can talk with her.”

“That sounds good. If you need us, we’re here,” he said with a smile. 

“I know and I appreciate it. Now, let me kick your ass at Pai Sho,” she said with a grin. 

“Oh it’s on!” he said, racing to grab the game. The two quickly got drawn into the game.

Tenzin let out a sigh as he walked into the temple with the kids. He and Pema had taken them out all day, figuring Bumi and Kya could talk. He looked at his wife in concern when he heard yelling. “Damn it Bumi! You can’t do that!” 

They walked in, expecting them to be in a yelling match. To their surprise, the two siblings were glaring at each other over a Pai Sho board. “I can too! Fight me,” he said, sticking his tongue out. Kya leapt across the table and tackled him to the floor. The two wrestled each other while arguing about who was right.

  
Tenzin just let out a sigh. “You two are insane,” he said, pretending to be irritated. 

“You know you love us,” she said with a smile.

“Yeah, we’re the best siblings ever,” he said with a manic grin. Tenzin rolled his eyes and the two got off of the floor. They all sat around the table and ate. He noticed Kya smiling and felt hope rise within him that his sister was feeling better. After eating, she decided to head to bed. 

Bumi walked over to him. “She’s not doing so hot,” he admitted with a sigh. “I’m pretty sure she has PTSD and other shit, it all just boiled over at once. I don’t think she’ll actually kill herself,” he said in a low voice to him and Pema. 

“She’ll talk when she’s ready,” she said with a smile. The three then put the kids to sleep and sat down on the couch, quietly talking. Bumi filled them in on the epic Pai Sho match they rudely interrupted while Pema talked about their day with the kids. Tenzin smiled, just content that his family was safe and somewhat okay. 

The next morning, Kya woke up with a yawn. She felt much better after talking with Bumi and actually being able to eat a meal. She got up, gently combing out her hair before pulling it back into her signature ponytail. She pulled on her dress and walked out into the kitchen. She wordlessly joined Pema at the stove, helping her prepare breakfast. “Hey, how’d you sleep?” Pema asked. 

“Good. I’m going to the apartment today and I’m going to talk with her,” she said nervously. “If..If things go wrong can I come back?”  
  


“You’re always welcome here, Lin too if you two ever want to spend the night with us,” she said with a smile. The two chatted easily as the rest of the island woke up. 

“I forgot to say this yesterday, thank you three for the note. It made me feel much better,” she said with a smile. Meelo and Ikki gave her large smiles while Jinora looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She gave a nod and smile in response to the unspoken question. Her niece’s face then split into a smile as she turned to talk with Ikki about some romance novel. She quickly dished breakfast and the family ate around the table. 

Breakfast was going smoothly until Bumi decided to be Bumi. He flung some eggs at Tenzin’s head as he turned to talk with Ikki. Everyone erupted into laughter while Tenzin’s face turned red. Instead of replying, he simply bent the air around his chair, causing his brother to fall down. Kya began manically laughing with Meelo. After breakfast continued without any large issues, she decided it was time to leave. “Thank you for everything,” she said, hoping they understood the weight behind her words. 

“You’re always welcome here,” Tenzin said with a smile.

“Yeah! Even if you question my Pai Sho abilities, I think I can tolerate you,” her brother said with a smirk. She simply rolled her eyes in response and gave Pema a tight hug, silently thanking her. She hopped into the ferry with her bag, feeling anxiety set in. She stepped off and took a deep breath. 

Kya walked towards Lin’s apartment, feeling dread set in. She knocked on the door and when she received no answer, decided to use the keys in her bag. “Lin?” she called out. When she received no response, she set her bag down in the spare room with a sigh. She walked back into the living room when she heard the doorknob rattle. 

Blue eyes met green as Lin walked into the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this explained why Kya blew up! In my head, she internalizes everything. She feels like every injury is her fault and as a result, she carries around a lot of guilt and pain. She feels guilt whenever she has to tell someone their injury won't heal or tell their family they died. As a result, she has PTSD from her many traumatic healing experiences and massive survivor's guilt. Since Lin wasn't completely honest with her (gotta love emotional constipation am I right?), it really hurts Kya. In addition to this, she pushes away people since she's afraid she will get hurt if she falls in love, like she has with Lin. 
> 
> If y'all are still confused, please comment! I hope this cleared some things up. Don't worry, these two will finally have a conversation ;) Much love babes <3


	19. I Will Always Come Back to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin have a serious conversation about their feelings and insecurities. The two decide to work on their relationship by agreeing to go to therapy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter makes sense! These two are emotionally drained and just want each other, which is why they both decide to forgive so quickly. Enjoy :D

The two stared at each other for what seemed like ages. They were frozen, just staring at each other. Kya sighed and decided to make the first move. She stepped forward and moved closer to Lin. “I know you probably don’t want to see me but I-” Her voice trailed off as the tears in her eyes spilled over. “I want to be open with you.” She started shaking as Lin stood in silence.

She walked over to the police chief and held up her hand, giving Lin plenty of time to push her away. To her surprise, she let Kya place her hand on Lin’s face. “Can we talk? Please,” she said, voice cracking. “I...I need to tell you what happened.” 

Lin led her to the couch and gestured for her to sit down. As soon as Kya sat down, Lin leaned against her. Kya laid down and Lin laid on her chest, snuggling up close to her, resting her head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat. “I’m sorry for what I said, I hurt you,” Kya said with a sob.

Kya pulled her into a tight hug. “I hurt you. I fucked up so bad and I’m sorry,” she said, voice thick with emotion. “Can I be honest? I-” Her voice trailed off but she continued at Lin’s nod. “I’ve been dealing with shit. I pushed you away because I was afraid of loving you. I’ve never loved somewhere more than myself before and it scares me.” 

Lin sat up, pressing her forehead against Kya’s, offering silent support as she exposed her deepest vulnerabilities. “I left because I got fucking terrified. It’s why I left to travel. I never felt like someone cared about me and I didn’t have a purpose beyond my healing. I almost killed myself about twenty years ago because I was just tired of living,” she confessed shakily. 

“I also realized that I’m seriously fucked up mentally,” Kya said softly. “I think I have PTSD and survivor’s guilt. I’ve tried to heal people who didn’t make it and I had to tell their families I failed,” she said, tears streaming down her face. Lin gently wiped the tears away as she continued talking. “I always pride myself on trying to help my loved ones, but I obviously fucked that up. I wanted to kill myself for how I hurt you. I felt that if I hurt the person I love more than myself, then I don’t deserve to live. I honestly feel like a fucking waste of space sometimes.”

Kya’s sobs intensified as Lin pulled her closer. “I thought about why I reacted so badly. It’s because I get scared for you,” she said, putting her head on top of Lin’s. “Whenever you come home hurt, I feel like it’s my fault. I blame myself for not being there for you, even when I know that you’re so damn stubborn you won't accept help and put others first. I feel the guilt and pain of every injury and every death that my healing couldn’t prevent. I-” She let more tears roll down her face, unable to stop crying. “I get so fucking scared. I can’t lose you. If you died, I couldn’t go on. I know you’re so damn stubborn and don’t want to burden other people, but I want you to be open with me. I feel like a fucking failure for hurting you like this.”

“I know how you feel. That’s how I feel,” Lin said, breaking her silence. She placed her hand on Kya’s face. Kya pushed her head into Lin’s hand, gently pressing a kiss to her palm. “Whenever something goes wrong, whether it’s on the force or dealing with others, it always seems like it’s my fault. I’m never enough and I’ll always fuck it up. I feel like a fucking failure, but I can’t ever let it show. I’m a Beifong, we don’t break no matter how bad we want to,” she said through tears.

Kya pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, offering silent support as Lin continued to talk. Lin let her vent, now it was her turn to listen. “I can never let someone in because the moment I do, I always screw it up. I pushed Tenzin away because I was afraid of letting my walls down around him. He...he wanted kids. That would force me to be open and the thought of people loving me is fucking terrifying. With you, I’m scared because I don’t feel even want to have my walls up. I want you to love me. I want to trust you and tell you all of my fears and I...I don’t know how to deal with this change. I’ve never really loved someone before, so I don’t know how to cope with loving someone more than myself,” she confessed in a shaky voice. 

“I can’t lose you. I’ve never felt truly unconditional love until you and I’d rather die than lose you because of my own fucking issues” Lin said, lacing their hands together. “I will do anything to make our relationship better. I can’t keep pushing you away because of my own baggage. I want to help you with your baggage and trauma. I love you and I promise to make myself better for you.” 

“I want to do that too. I think we both need therapy since we’re obviously extremely mentally stable,” she said with a smile, causing Lin to laugh despite the seriousness of the moment. She pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, expression quickly sobering up. “I can’t lose you or this relationship. I love you so much. I promise to work on myself because you deserve someone who is as amazing as you are. I might fuck up again, but I promise I will always try and make my way back to you,” she said quietly with a small sob. Lin simply held her tight and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. 

“Here, let’s order something to eat. I haven’t been able to eat and I doubt you have,” Lin said, getting up off of the couch. Kya followed her, refusing to let go of her hand. She called and ordered some takeout while Kya placed her head on top of the shorter woman. She pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, causing Lin to blush a deep red. 

They ate in silence when the food came, still holding hands. “I think we should go to therapy,” Kya said softly. “I told you a lot of my issues and you told me about yours. We need someone else to help us talk about our emotions so we don’t have another fight like this.”

Lin nodded, taking a bite of her chicken. “I agree. I love you and that won’t ever change, but shit gets overwhelming for me. I have some repressed trauma and I know you do as well. Talking with someone will only help us,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

The two women threw away their trash and Kya turned to go to the guest bedroom. “Come on baby,” Lin said, gently grabbing her hand. “I’m sorry for pushing you away but I’ll try and let you in.”

“I’m sorry for running and shutting down. I shouldn’t have done that and I hope you can forgive me babe.”

“Of course I can, my love. Come here, I want to snuggle with you,” she said, tugging her hand. Kya smiled softly and let Lin guide her to the bedroom. They undressed and snuggled under the covers. 

Kya gently spooned Lin from behind. “Thank you for being open with me. I know it’s hard for you and I am so happy you trusted me with it,” she said, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck. “I love you.”

Lin smiled and kissed her palm. “I love you too. Thank you for coming back. Most people just leave me when shit gets hard and don’t look back. You...you came back for me,” she said, voice thick with emotion. Kya held her tighter and Lin relaxed into her arms. The two fell asleep, knowing they would figure out therapy later. For now, they were simply content with returning to the love of their life. They both made a silent promise to come back to each other, no matter what. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two need to work on *communication* so they decide to go to therapy! Look at them go!! Don't worry, these two will recover and be more sure in their relationship. Now, they might have to help some friends deal with their own issues 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed <3


	20. I Love You More Than Myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin decide to go on a date after agreeing to therapy. They do each other's hair and makeup before getting dressed. At the restaurant, they enjoy a nice meal. When they get home, Lin opens up to Kya. She's unsure if this is happening because she is slightly drunk or not and receives some shocking news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave y'all hanging! I've been in a bit of pain these past few days. My wrist was acting up and I decided to go rollerskating. I can't walk normally, so no surprise it made things worse. I'll be back to updating soon! These two finally talk about seeing a therapist, which will be the next chapter. Enjoy a soft date night :D
> 
> ALSO!!! Thank y'all so much for 3000 hits!! It's absolutely insane, I never thought my story would blow up like this or I would even feel this much inspiration. I love y'all so much <3

Lin woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast. She got up with a groan and walked into the kitchen. Kya silently handed her a cup of tea and turned to the stove. She continued cooking but to her surprise, Lin set her cup down and wrapped her arms around her waist. “Hey baby, good morning,” she said, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. 

“Good morning my love,” she said with a soft smile. She dished up Lin’s breakfast, pressing a kiss to her cheek. The two ate in comfortable silence, hands laced together.

“So I’ve been looking into therapy,” Kya said, taking a sip of tea. “I found someone that I think we’ll both like. I remember one of the healers recommending her. Her name is Li Meiza. I called and scheduled an appointment for later this week, but I can cancel it if you want,” she said, rubbing her hand in reassuring circles against her palm.

“I can’t guarantee it’ll work, but I’ll try for you,” she said softly, pressing a kiss to her hand. “We can start with some couple’s sessions then move to individuals with her if you want.” Kya nodded, making her smile softly. 

The police chief got up and began washing the dishes. Kya simply sat in her chair, simply watching her muscles move. Lin rolled her eyes and pretended to be irritated at her lover, but she couldn’t be, no matter how hard she tried. 

“I’m going to probably go back into the office tomorrow, what about you?” she asked, placing the dishes in the cabinet.

“I’ll go in with you tomorrow. I’m guessing Saikhan has come up with some cover story for us?” At her nod, she chuckled. “He’s amazing.”

“Yeah, he is,” she said softly. “I wasn’t doing too hot after our argument and he made me take care of myself. He’s….he’s pretty damn amazing.” 

Kya wrapped her arms around her. “I’m glad you have him,” she said, pressing a kiss to her neck. Lin leaned back into the taller woman, simply enjoying her arms around her. “We have a free day today, how do you want to spend it?” she asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. 

“I can think of a few things I’d like,” she said, leaning into her. “I’m all yours today.”

Kya bent down and smirked. “Is that so? We should go on another date. That was fun,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

Lin smiled. “That sounds amazing babe. Where do you want to go?”

“I remember Asami recommending a few places. I’ve looked them up and Soteye’s Hut sounds good,” she said.

“Sounds good to me. Come on, let’s get ready,” she said, dragging Kya to their room. 

“I want to try something different tonight,” she said, walking to their closet. Lin raised an eyebrow at her. “I want you to wear a dress, I think you’d look beautiful.”

“I like dresses but….I just feel weird. I’m so used to my uniform and I feel defenseless,” she said softly.

Kya kissed her cheek and laced her fingers through hers. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“I have an idea now,” she said with a smile. “We get ready together but dressed separately.”

“Sounds good to me,” Kya said, walking to the bathroom. She brushed her silver hair and reached to braid it, but Lin held her hand, forcing her to stop. 

“Let me,” she said softly. “Do you want one braid or two?” 

“One,” she said with a smile. Lin stood up, raising her arms above her head to reach the top of Kya’s head. “I can sit down if you want,” she said with a laugh. 

“I am tall enough to do this,” she said stubbornly. She struggled and eventually admitted defeat, gesturing for her to sit. “It’s not my fault you’re tall as shit,” she grumbled. Kya simply chuckled at her girlfriend’s face, enjoying the calloused fingers running through her hair. 

Lin pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead as she ran her fingers through her hair. Kya looked in the mirror, enjoying Lin’s intense face of concentration. Lin quickly sectioned off her hair and pulled it back into a braid. She finished and showed her in the mirror. “I think Su called it a fire ferret braid.” 

Kya smiled and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I love it. Let me do your hair now,” she said softly. Lin nodded and she ran her hand through the short, gray hair. She gently combed out the tangles, running her long fingers through her hair. She sectioned off a small part of her hair and began a braid on the side of her head. She focused on weaving the gray hair into a beautiful braided crown. When she was done, she pinned it in place gently. “All done.”

“I love it baby, thank you.” She simply leaned back into Kya, loving how her girlfriend’s arms immediately moved to embrace her. “Let me do your makeup,” she said, getting up to open her makeup bag. 

Kya smiled, face soft with affection. She knew Lin didn’t typically enjoy getting dressed up and the fact that she was willing to do so said a lot. “Alright, close your eyes,” she said, holding up some eyeshadow. Kya closed her eyes, feeling the gentle swipe of the brush on her eyelids. She heard her girlfriend muttering to herself and wiping a towel under her eyes. 

“Okay, there we go!” she said with pride in her voice. Kya opened her eyes to see beautifully applied brown eyeshadow. Lin had applied some kind of silver eyeshadow along with the brown to bring out her eyes. 

“It’s beautiful babe, thank you,” she said, giving her a kiss. Lin grabbed some blush, highlighter and other things Kya couldn’t identify. She quickly applied the makeup to her face, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Kya smiled at her girlfriend’s intense face of concentration. 

“Do you like it? I’d do your mascara, but I don’t want to smudge it,” she said, handing Kya a tube. Kya quickly applied it and admired her makeup in the mirror. 

“You did a fantastic job babe,” she said softly. “Let me do yours now.” Lin nodded and handed her the makeup bag. 

“Close your eyes my love,” she said, grabbing an eyeshadow pallet. She brushed some gray eyeshadow onto her pale lids and added some bronze shimmer. She gently brushed some gold on the inner corner of her eyes and wiped the fallout shadow. “All done with the eyeshadow,” she said, placing the brushes on the counter. 

“I love it so much,” she said, voice filled with awe. Kya smiled and continued to apply makeup. She swiped blush and highlight onto her face, accentuating her beautiful features. As a final step, she applied some subtle pink lipstick. “I don’t even recognize myself like this,” she admitted sheepishly, admiring her reflection. 

Kya kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful with and without that makeup,” she said, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Come on, we need to get dressed.”

Lin got up and headed towards their closet. “Here, I’m heading to the guest room to change,” she said, grabbing a pair of heels. “Close your eyes.” Kya closed her eyes as her girlfriend got her clothes out. 

She heard her walk to the guest room and place something down on the bed. “All good,” she called out. 

Kya opened her eyes and shut the door to their bedroom. She slipped off her sleepwear, a tank top and some shorts, and left her wraps on. She slipped on a simple white blouse, buttoning up the shirt only halfway. She then put on a navy blue suit and admired her outfit in the mirror. She put on the simple white heels she wore on her first date with Lin.

She walked into the bathroom, fixing her necklace and adding some silver earrings. She placed a hand on her necklace, wishing that Lin had made it for her. She shook her head of those thoughts, the ones that dangerously whispered that she should make Lin hers forever. She didn’t want to tie her down, she knew how much the police chief valued her freedom. 

She walked out of the room and knocked on the door to the guest room. “Are you ready babe?” she called out, leaning on the doorframe. 

Lin opened the door, wearing a beautiful dark green dress. The dress came up high on her neck and draped to the floor. Kya noticed some small cutouts on the side of her dress near those beautiful hips. She could see a hint of her black heels at the bottom of the dress.

“You look beautiful,” she said, grabbing her hand. Lin’s fingers intertwined with hers and the two left the apartment. The two walked to the restaurant holding hands. Kya considered it progress that Lin held hands with her in public. 

The two walked up to the restaurant, glad they had dressed up. Asami recommended some high end places, but Soteye’s Hut was almost as nice as Kwong’s Cuisine. “Hello, we were wondering if there was an available table,” Lin said, wrapping a hand around her waist. 

“Of course, please follow me,” the waitress said, guiding them to their seats. “My name is Emi, please let me know if you need anything while you’re here. Would you two like to start with some drinks?”

“I’ll get some plum wine. How about you?” Lin said, looking at her.

“I’ll get some plum wine as well, thank you,” Kya said, shooting her girlfriend a smile. Emi left, leaving the two alone. 

The two had casual conversation as they ate some delicious Fire Nation cuisine. The night flew by in a blur, the two lost in each other’s eyes and eating the food as it came. 

They left the restaurant, Lin leaning on Kya. She suspected her girlfriend had a bit too much to drink and offered silent support as they walked back home. “I love you,” Lin said as she opened the door.

“I love you too,” she said, giving her a kiss. She gently removed Lin’s makeup and then washed her own off. 

“I want to marry her,” her girlfriend said quietly. “She is so fucking amazing.” 

Kya’s heart stopped. She realized Lin didn’t know she was speaking out loud.  _ Wait, she wants to marry me too?  _ She crushed that feeble feeling of hope before it built up. Lin was drunk as shit and not thinking clearly. “I love you too baby, we can talk later when you’re sober.” 

Lin took her dress off and laid on their bed, waiting for Kya. She took her suit off and chuckled at her girlfriend. “You didn’t even take your shoes off,” she said, unbuckling the heels. She stepped out of her own heels and snuggled next to her. 

“I love you baby. You complete me,” she said, bringing Lin close to her. 

“I love you too. You left me but came back. No one’s ever done that before,” she admitted softly. Kya didn’t know if it was the wine or Lin being open, but she continued to talk. “I get afraid because I care about you so much it scares me. I don’t know how to show you that I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, including myself.”

Kya pressed a kiss to her hair. “I love you more than I love myself too. We’ll talk in the morning beautiful. Goodnight babe.”

“Goodnight babe,” she said, tucking her head into her chest. Kya wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and fell asleep, holding her girlfriend close. She tried to crush the hopes building within her about marriage. She knew they would talk eventually and couldn’t wait for that conversation. The two fell asleep holding each other tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed! For reference, Lin is drunk at the end and is speaking her mind. She does want to be open with Kya and since she's drunk, it's easier for her to talk and there is little to no filter on her mind (which is why she mentioned wanting to marry Kya) ;)
> 
> Much love babes <3


	21. Let Me Take Care of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin get back to work. After a draining day of healing and paperwork, Lin helps Kya unwind and relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this rushed chapter! I just wanted to write some soft fluff with these two and focus on Kya's healing. Now my writer's block is overcome and I will work on these next few angsty chapters! Enjoy :D

The next morning Lin woke up with a groan. She had a slight headache and groaned. Kya snuggled into her tighter. She closed her eyes and placed her head on top of her lover’s, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Good morning baby,” she said softly. 

  
“Good morning,” she said, pressing her head into her chest. “Do we have to get up?”

She chuckled. “Unfortunately, yes. Saikhan can’t cover us forever.”

Kya groaned and rolled out of bed. She put her wraps on and pulled on her dress as Lin got dressed as well. She walked out of their room and began to prepare breakfast and tea. 

Lin wrapped her arms around the taller woman and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Did I drink a lot last night? I had a headache when I woke up.”

“Yes, you did,” she said with a chuckle. “You were a bit more open than normally but didn’t say too much.”

Lin nodded and put her head on her shoulder. She turned her head into the crook of her neck and tucked her head into her shoulder. She gently reached for her fingers and laced their fingers together. 

Kya dished out breakfast and pressed a kiss to her lover’s hair. She began humming, swaying her hips to music playing in her head. Lin smiled at her girlfriend while sipping tea. The two ate in comfortable silence, still holding hands.

The two left the apartment and walked to the station. Saikhan walked up to the two with a smile. “I’m glad to see you two back, is everything alright between you two?”

“Yes, thank you,” Lin said softly. 

“It’s been hard, but we’re not letting it divide us,” the waterbender said with a smile. 

Kya smiled and walked towards her office. One of the newer healers, Erasi, came up to her with a relieved look on his face. “We were worried when you didn’t come in, are you okay?” he asked, voice full of concern. 

“Yes, I’m fine. I had to take some personal time, but I’m doing better now,” she said, sitting down at her desk. “How have things been while I was gone?”

“It’s been business as usual. Mostly we’ve been dealing with muscle aches and minor injuries. You may want to check out Song, he’s been dealing with severe pain but we can’t figure out what’s going on with him,” the firebender reported. “I’ve been working with him, but since I can’t waterbend, I was waiting to tell you. Unfortunately, medical knowledge for non waterbenders is scarce,” he said dryly. 

“I’ll go check with him, thank you Erasi,” she said. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. I’ll go find Song and begin to understand what’s going on with him.”

She walked to the offices, looking for Song. She knocked on the door and the gray eyed man opened the door. “Hey Song, can you come with me? Erasi told me that you’ve been dealing with some severe pain.”

“Yeah of course,” the officer said, walking with her towards the healer’s office. “My shoulder had a consistent dull ache for the past week or so. It’s been hard for me to reach behind my back and bending aggravates it.”

She began to bend water, gently placing the glowing water on the injured shoulder. She focused on the inflamed shoulder, gently pushing on the ligaments. He let out a hiss of pain at Kya’s prodding. “Sorry for the pain, but it’s necessary for me to figure out what’s wrong.”

She gently pressed on his shoulder with her fingers. “I think you have a torn rotator cuff. I’m heavily recommending that you stop all physical police activity. You must work within the office only. If this injury gets any worse, it may permanently injure your shoulder.”

He let out a sigh. “I’ll listen to you. Would you like me to come to you for sessions?”

“Of course! Come on, I’ll show you some stretches for your injury,” she said. She guided him through some physical therapy and stretching routine. After showing him these stretches, she began to work on healing his shoulder. 

After a draining session, she pulls the water away with a sigh. “How does that feel?” she asked, bending the water back into its container. 

He rolled his shoulder. “It feels better, thanks Kya,” he said with a smile.

“Be careful, I don’t want this to get any worse.” She shot him a smile as she sat down to proceed with some paperwork. She focused on running the healing department, ironing out the many kinks within the system. 

After a draining day of paperwork and healing, she got up with a sigh. She walked to Lin’s office with a sigh. She looked up at her girlfriend with concern. “Hey baby, are you okay?”

“I’m really drained,” she said softly. 

Lin nodded and stood up. “I was getting ready to go anyways, let’s go.” 

The two walked from the station and headed back to the apartment. Lin opened the door and bent the armor off. She gently helped Kya out of her dress. 

“Here, let me take care of you,” she said softly. Kya nodded and leaned into her girlfriend. Lin stripped them both down and turned the shower on. She gently washed her silver hair and let her lover relax with the hot water. 

After drying her off, she gently helped Kya into one of her tank tops and shorts. Lin quickly prepared dinner and dished it out for Kya. She handed her girlfriend the plate of food. “Here, I know that you’ve had a long day. Let me take care of you,” she said softly.

They ate dinner and Lin picked her up, drawing a shocked gasp from her girlfriend. “Come on, let’s go to bed baby,” she said, carrying her bridal style. She gently placed Kya onto the bed and grabbed a book, setting it onto the bedside table. 

Kya laid her head in Lin’s lap, the police chief gently running her fingers through her silver hair. “I love you,” she said softly. 

“I love you too,” her girlfriend said, pressing a kiss to her hand. The two sat in comfortable silence and held each other tightly. The women laid together, love encasing the two. They spent the rest of the night simply relaxing in each other’s presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed!! Don't worry, the therapy will be in the next few chapters and I will start a new AU!
> 
> Much love babes, I hope you enjoyed <3
> 
> If I made an Instagram acc for interacting with y’all easier, would y’all be interested 👀


	22. Love is Terrifying, but I Will Face My Fears for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin go to therapy and quickly realize that their individual trauma was the cause of the fallout. Li Meiza recommends individual therapy over couple's and the two have a serious conversation at home about what Lin said when she was drunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, the therapy scene!! I'm trying to keep these sessions brief since I've only been in individual therapy before. I probably won't go into too much detail, but here it is lol. 
> 
> Thank y'all so much for the constant love on this series, it's really ignited my passion for writing. Much love babes <3
> 
> If you want a good dynamic of Kya and Lin's relationship in my head, listen to Believe by The Score. The song talks about constant support and love, which is what their relationship is in my mind. Enjoy :D

Lin’s leg kept bouncing up and down. Normally, she was stoic and still, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Now, she was reduced to a trembling ball of nerves. Kya placed a hand on her knee, stilling her leg and offering silent reassurance. 

Lin fidgeted in the stiff chair. “What if we made a mistake by doing this? What if it tears us apart?”

“I will always come back to you. Nothing can tear us apart,” she said softly, lacing her long fingers through hers.

A short woman with black hair popped her head out into the waiting room. “Okay, next we have our seven o'clock appointment, please come in!” she called out. 

The two stood up and walked into a small room. The space was fairly dark, lit only by the plethora of candles in the room crammed onto shelves. Besides some furniture, the space was filled with shelves. The shelves were filled with books, photos, and a plethora of trinkets from all four nations. 

“Welcome! My name is Li Meiza and I’ll be guiding you through your session today,” she said, sitting down in the chair behind a wooden desk. “What are your names?”

“I’m Kya,” she said with a smile, sitting down on the couch. 

“Lin Beifong,” she replied simply. 

“Ah, I see now why you two requested me,” she mused out loud. At their confused looks, she shook her head and let out a small laugh. “I am a special therapist, I deal with many high profile clients. I counsel with Raiko’s wife and some of his closest staff members, along with a few of your captains. Since I am in a position where I can get sensitive information, I sign a NDA with every person.”

She slid a folder to the two women. “Inside are two NDA forms. You sign those and understand that everything we say stays between us three and is not to be discussed with anyone outside of this room. We have to take many precautions to ensure our customer’s safety,” she explained. 

The couple quickly signed the forms and handed the folder to her. “Now, I’m assuming this is a couple’s session?” At their nod, she smiled. “Well congratulations on getting together! Now, tell me a bit about why you’re in here.”

Kya glanced at Lin, who nodded in silent agreement. “Well, we both have a lot of past trauma and have been working on it. We had a very tense argument and said some...cruel things to each other,” she admitted with shame.

“Okay so how long have you two been together?” she asked, scribbling notes into a small blue journal.

“Five months,” Lin replied.

“Have there been any feelings for each other before this?” she asked, her gaze making Lin crumble under the intensity. 

“I’ve been in love with Lin since we were teenagers. I’ve never pushed my feelings onto her though,” Kya said.

Lin nodded. “I think I felt feelings emerge around that time, it was hard to tell since I was heavily repressing my sexuality.”

“What caused you two to finally recognize your feelings for each other?” she said, scribbling notes.

“Well, it started when I let her move into my apartment,” the police chief said. “Then...then-” Her voice trailed off and her throat closed up with emotion.

“Then I confessed that I loved her after Amon took her bending,” she said, pulling her girlfriend into a tight hug. “We then got together and have been doing pretty well.”

“Well, I can understand the trauma Lin has from being on the force and dealing with that shit, but you are a wildcard Kya. I can tell that you’ve been through your fair share, so if you can, please share,” Li Meiza said, those damn golden eyes piercing her soul. 

“I traveled in my youth because I felt that I had no purpose. I almost killed myself about twenty years ago because I was so fucking tired of living. I have so much fucking survivor's guilt and PTSD from all the shit I’ve been through,” she confessed, Lin wrapping a silent arm of support around her. “After hurting her, I wanted to kill myself. If I hurt the one person I’ve ever loved more than myself, then I don’t deserve to live.”

“Well the good news is that you two have a healthy relationship,” she said with a soft smile. “You two have obviously discussed your trauma in depth with each other before coming to see me. I’m guessing this was due to an argument that started small and blew up quickly. You two both broke down, said hurtful shit, and once the guilt set in, completely opened up, correct me if I’m wrong,” she said, raising an eyebrow at the two women. 

At their shocked silence, she nodded. “I’ve dealt with this before, the issue isn’t your relationship. You both have deep rooted insecurities, due to sexuality, self esteem, and other personal issues that impact your relationship. You both have issues communicating but make an effort for each other.”

“How can you tell this? You’ve only talked with us for about thirty minutes,” Lin asked, voice full of shock. 

She smiled. “I’ve dealt with my fair share of trauma as well as helping my clients. By going through my personal experiences as well as my client’s, it’s easy to pick up on patterns. You are both protectors and want to protect the other at all costs. This causes communication issues despite the relatively healthy relationship.”

She gently wrapped her small, pale hands around the two women’s intertwined hands. “Honestly, I don’t think couple’s therapy would work for you two. You’re both too damn stubborn trying to protect each other to be fully open. I think it would be better if you two did individual sessions,” she said, withdrawing her hands to scribble some more notes. 

“That would be fantastic,” Kya said with a smile. “How would we know about what the other has been through?”

“Well, with your permission, you’ll get monthly reviews. As you have noticed, I take notes about my clients during their session. I’ll compile the notes from the month’s sessions and review them with you first. If you approve of what’s compiled, I will then give them to Lin and vice versa. Do keep in mind just because you are in a relationship doesn’t mean you have to tell each other absolutely everything that occurs during these sessions,” she said, quickly reaching down to grab a calender. 

“That would be wonderful. I have to ask though, did we make the right choice in coming to talk with you? I mean if it drives us apart I don’t know how I would react,” Lin said, trying to be open for once. 

Li Meiza smiled. “This is already a sign of progress! You two decided to let this argument that could have easily ended your relationship bring you together. I’m assuming you both made promises to stay by each other,” she said, tilting her head. At their nod, she continued talking. “Well, that’s a damn good sign of a good relationship. Here, let’s go over appointment times.”

The two women scheduled their sessions with her, nervous for how they would be critically analyzed by the intimidating therapist. With a cheerful goodbye, the two left. 

Lin snorted with amusement. “She didn’t hold back at all,” she noted, lacing their fingers together. 

“Damn right she did,” she said with a laugh. “I do want to ask you about something though.” She took a deep breath but continued at her girlfriend’s supportive look. “That time you got drunk after Soteye’s, you were open. You said some things out loud that you didn’t even realize,” she anxiously said as they walked back home.

Lin opened the door to their apartment. She gently guided her to the couch and Kya laid down on her, using the police chief as a pillow. “You said you wanted to marry me,” she said softly.

Lin’s heart stopped. She felt herself panicking, feeling herself slide into the familiar emotional spiral. Wanting to be honest with her girlfriend, she managed to calm down. “I do,” she said, voice cracking. “I do want to marry you, but I want to do these sessions first. I want to make myself better for you.” She turned away, bracing for the inevitable rejection.

Kya’s eyes shone with tears. “You….you really do love me,” she said, tears rolling down her face. “I’m so used to people just not meaning it and I-”

Lin cut her off with a kiss. “Kya, I want to marry you once we finish these sessions. I love you and even if we don’t get married soon, I want to spend as much time as I can with you.”

“I love you too,” she said, pressing a soft kiss to her girlfriend. “I want to marry you too, but I know we have to work through some of our trauma first.” 

Lin held her tightly and the two laid on the couch, limbs tangled. “I really do love you more than I love myself,” Kya said, voice muffled by her girlfriend’s chest.

She chuckled, the vibrations soothing Kya. “I love you more than myself too, my love.” She gently sighed. “Love is scary but as long as I have you, I will face my fears.”

The two softly kissed and headed to the kitchen. They cooked together, just enjoying each other’s presence. After quickly eating and cleaning, the women walked to their room. 

Kya stripped down to nothing but her necklace, turning around to see Lin naked as well. The two simply cuddled, just wanting as much skin on skin contact as they could get. They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s heartbeat, the silent promise to stay strong in the fear of love holding them together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter, Kya and Lin will help Korra and Mako face their relationship problems. The groundwork for Korrasami and S2 will begin :)
> 
> Follow me on Instagram @bidisastervibes


	23. I'd Spend a Lifetime Waiting for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin go to work where Lin finds a distraught Mako. She takes him to dinner and talks with him about relationship problems and gives him some solid advice. She goes home and spends a nice evening cuddling with Kya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not dead!! I promise I haven't abandoned this fic. I've been swamped with school, we have finals coming up and calc is kicking my ass :D I hit a motivation slump, but thankfully I'm coming out of it! 
> 
> I always thought that Mako and Korra's relationship wouldn't last because they focus on their work. Mako and Korra both have intense tunnel vision, which leads to inevitable arguments. This is setting up the groundwork for Korrasami, which will happen a bit earlier in my fic than it does in the canon series. Enjoy <3

The two walked down to the police station, hands intertwined as they walked. After their own individual sessions with Li Meiza, the two began working through their trauma. Reluctantly, Lin drew her hand away from Kya as the station came into view. 

“Hey, let me know how your lunch with Korra goes,” she said with a soft smile. Kya gave her a soft nod and the two walked to their respective offices. 

Lin sighed at the mountain of papers on her desk. She sat down and began quickly scanning the documents, signing off on orders and formal police work. Time passed in a blur as she worked on making a dent in the paperwork. 

She got up with a sigh and rolled her shoulders, relishing in the knots disappearing with a soft crack. For once, she actually took a break for lunch. Lin spent the rest of the day talking with Saikhan and other officers about assigning the rookie cops to patrols. Song was dutifully taking notes and offering suggestions, just desperately trying to contribute. Lin knew how hard it was to stay in the office, even with an injury, so she understood his frustration. 

The police chief stayed behind late in order to finish up some paperwork. She had told Kya that today would be a late day, so her girlfriend wasn’t expecting her home until much later. She began to walk out of the building but stopped as the sound of punching filled the air. She walked over to the gym, confused as there wasn’t a scheduled session for the night shift today. 

She opened the door to see Mako pounding away at a punching bag. The firebender’s face was screwed in concentration, and to her concern, he didn’t seem to notice his splitting muscles. Lin walked up to the other side of the bag, holding it still. She knew from experience that if you tried to place a hand on a focused officer, you would most likely get a broken nose. 

Mako looked up with surprise as the bag began resisting against him. “Chief,” he said, quickly drawing into a salute. “Did you need something?”

“Well, I was wondering why you were beating the spirits out of this bag,” she said, handing him a water bottle. “It’s late, your shift ended two hours ago.”

“Shit,” he put his head in his hands, sitting on a bench. 

Seeing the firebender so broken made Lin feel a surge of protectiveness.  _ Okay, definitely talking with Li Meiza about that, but that’s for another time. _ She sat down and looked at him quizzically. “Are you okay?”

He let out a long sigh. “Not really, but I’ll be fine. It’s nothing you need to worry about,” he said, waving a hand dismissively and forcing a smile on his face. 

“Kid, you’re a shit liar. Come on, go freshen up. We both need to eat and I’m taking you to dinner to talk about what’s wrong, no arguments,” she said, holding a hand up to cut off any potential protests. 

He nodded, quickly leaving the gym. While he showered and changed, Lin slipped back into her office. She phoned the apartment, hoping Kya would pick up.

“Hello?” she asked with a yawn. 

“Hey, it’s Lin,” she said with a small smile. “I’m taking Mako to dinner. Poor kid looks broken, he needs to talk even if his stubborn ass won’t admit it.”

“Ah, Korra was the same way today. When will you get back?”

“I’m not sure yet. If it gets late, don’t wait for me,” she said, knowing Kya would sacrifice sleep to see her. 

“Alright babe, love you.”

“Love you too,” she said softly, hanging up the phone. She walked out of the office and saw Mako waiting for her in the hall. 

The two walked to Ujo’s and grabbed a table. “So, tell me what’s going on kid. Is it work or personal?” she asked, taking a sip of the plum wine she ordered.

“Personal,” he replied, quickly downing some cucumber aloe water. “It’s about Korra,” he admitted hesitantly. 

“What’s up?” she asked, noticing the immediate tension that appeared in his posture at her name. “Did you two have a fight?”

“Well we’ve had several,” he said with a sad laugh. Lin just looked at him, steely eyes softening to offer silent support. “Things have been tense lately between us. We both get busy with our work. She got mad at me once for not coming home while I was binge working.” 

“She said I’ve been putting my job in front of her then I told her she’s been doing the same. Last week, I finally got a night off and we were going to go on a date. Then, she suddenly had to go do some Avatar stuff that could have waited.” Lin noticed how his hands began to slightly smoke, indicating things were more serious than she thought. 

She reached across the table, grabbing his hand. He took a deep breath and gave her an appreciative nod. “It feels like we just keep prioritizing things over each other. I mean, I like her. Lately, I’ve been wondering if I even like her romantically.”

Lin gave a small laugh. “I know that feeling,” she said at his confused look. “I couldn’t figure out the difference between romantic and platonic feelings for the longest time. It’s what led me to getting with Tenzin, I couldn’t differentiate the two.” 

She took a sip of wine, carefully considering her next words. “Right now, I’m seeing someone who makes me happy. It’s been hard, but we’ve made communication a priority. We...we had a huge fight a while ago because of that. Since then, I’ve really begun to understand the importance of honesty with your partner.”

Mako let out a sigh as the waiter set their food down. “I don’t feel that way with Korra. I want to be honest with her, but I won’t tell her about my problems. She has enough to deal with, I can’t add my problems to her plate.”

“Well, your relationship sounds like it’s gone south,” she noted, cutting into her duck.

“You said your relationship went bad too. How did you two fix it?” he asked, tearing into the tofu. 

“We went to therapy together. Our therapist suggested individual sessions so we can work on communication, but without that initial session we probably would have fallen apart.”

The firebender shot her a sad smile. “I’m scared, but I think we need to break up. I love Korra, I really do, but I can’t do this.”

“You two will always be close,” she said simply. “Even if you two can’t romantically work out, that’s no reason to limit your friendship. Korra is pretty damn amazing and so are you. You both need loyal friends and you both need each other. You just have to remember why a romantic relationship didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean you two can’t be friends.”

“Thanks Chief,” he said. “Now, tell me about this person that you’re seeing.”

“Well, she’s amazing. She’s beautiful, kind, and loyal. She’ll always be there for me, no matter what. We’ve both been dancing around our feelings for a while, but we finally stopped being dense,” she said with a laugh.

He smiled. “I’m happy that you found her. You two need each other, like Korra and I do,” he noted. 

Lin smiled. “Yeah. We do,” she admitted softly. 

The two finished eating and Lin paid for the meal. “Remember to ask Korra to heal your knuckles,” she said. “You didn’t wrap before your punching session.”

He looked down at his hands in surprise. “Spirits, I didn’t even notice. Thanks Chief.”

“Of course kiddo. If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask,” she said, giving him a reassuring nod. The two split and went their separate ways. 

Lin opened the apartment and smiled. Kya was reading on the couch, wearing one of her hoodies. She was so focused on her book she didn’t even notice Lin come in. Lin bent her armor off and walked over to her.

“Hey,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss on her head.

Kya looked up at her with a smile. “Hey. How tired are you?”

“I’m not too tired,” she said, sitting next to her on the couch. “Just emotionally done from dealing with Mako repressing his emotions.”

Kya laughed. “Well he’s not the only one who’s done that. Korra told me she wanted to end things between them. She said it felt like they weren’t each other’s priority anymore, but she doesn’t want to lose him as a friend.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she said. At Kya’s confused look, she shook her head. “He told me the same thing. He wants to break up with her, but he can’t lose her and doesn’t want to hurt her.”

Kya laughed, pressing her head into the crook of her neck. “Idiot kids,” she said softly. “At least we figured it out, even if a bit late.”

“I’d rather spend a lifetime alone waiting for you then live a life without you,” she admitted. Kya gave her a soft kiss, pouring all of her love into the kiss. The two cuddled on the couch, murmuring gentle compliments and sharing soft kisses. 

Kya placed her hand on Lin’s face, the shorter woman leaning into her hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to the middle of her forehead. The two just spent the rest of the night cuddling on the couch, enjoying the peaceful quiet together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to follow me on instagram so I can talk with y'all easily @bidisastervibes
> 
> Much love babes <3 Thank y'all for all of the support, it's been absolutely insane for me.


	24. Communication Has Its Perks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya comes to an important realization about her job after a therapy session. Lin offers support and helps her with the transition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR 4K HITS!! This is absolutely insane, I never anticipated this fic to blow up <3 
> 
> Everything below the line is straight smut. Enjoy loves<3 
> 
> Also, there's a notice at the end. Make sure y'all read it :D

“Fuck!” Kya muttered, glaring at her desk with all the hate she could muster. She was finally ready to go home after a long day, but then she had to hit her knee. She quickly bent down, noting with reassurance that nothing was bruised or broken, it would just hurt like a bitch for a few minutes. 

She sighed and opened her office door, just ready to go home. For once, she was the one working late. Over the past week, several officers had gotten injured and several healers were out sick. She thought back to her session with Li Meiza yesterday and softly sighed. 

_“So, do you have a job?” she asked._

_“Yes, I work with Lin at the station. I’m the Head of the Healing Department,” Kya replied, taking a sip of the tea the therapist had offered._

_“How much stress has it added to you? You have more worry lines on your face then when you came in with Lin for your first appointment.”_

_“It adds a lot, but I’m fine,” she said, mustering up as much nonchalance as she could._

_The black haired woman let out a laugh. “Dear, keep in mind I’m a therapist. I can tell when people lie to me. Now be honest, are you okay?”_

_She hesitated for a moment and took a sip of tea. “No. No, I’m not okay,” she admitted in a small voice._

_“Let me guess, you feel like you have to do this. You wanted a job at the station to make sure Lin doesn’t get hurt. Now, you treat it as redemption.”_

_She looked at Kya with a raised eyebrow. “I remember you stating in our last visit that you still feel guilt for those people you couldn’t save. By healing the officers and managing other healers, you feel like you’re atoning for that. You want to redeem yourself.”_

_Kya let out a sad laugh, tears gathering in her eyes. “I have to redeem myself somehow. If I don’t, then what purpose do I have living?”_

_“Can you think of another place where you want a job?” she asked, scribbling some more notes in her blue journal._

_“I’d like to get a job at the Winter Bison. It’s run by a really friendly Southern Water Tribe woman named Ialli. The place makes me feel safe and...and it feels like home,” she admitted softly._

_“Do you want to go into more detail?” she asked._

_“Yeah,” she said, wiping at her eyes. “The place always smells like jasmine incense. It was Dad’s favorite smell. I would always get up early and I tried to meditate with him each morning. The smell brings me back to being a little girl, just spending time with my father. Ialli also reminds me of the South and the life I left behind there.”_

_“Do you feel guilt for abandoning your mother?” the therapist asked._

_“Yes. Even though she encouraged me to find myself, I still feel guilt. I left everything behind to help her after Dad died. Abandoning her made me feel like I was abandoning my identity,” she said, tears rolling down her face._

_The pale woman silently handed her a tissue. “You’ve made a lot of progress,” she said with a smile. “You’re being open and honest with yourself. I think you should quit your current job, it adds too much stress and makes you feel that spiral of guilt.”_

_“I’ll talk with Lin about it,” the dark waterbender said. “Thank you.”_

_“Of course dear,” she said softly._

She opened the door to the apartment. Kya walked in, too exhausted to even notice Lin making halibut stew. She just walked over to her girlfriend and buried her head into the crook of her neck.

“Hey baby,” she said, stirring the stew. 

“Hi.” Kya simply held her close. “Today was shit. It’s so fucking stressful.”

“Do we need to have a serious talk?” Lin asked, noticing the change in her lover’s voice. “I won’t judge you love, I just want to support you.”

“Yes please,” she said softly. 

“Hey, go sit on the couch and collect your thoughts. I’ll be there soon,” she said with a smile. 

Kya nodded and walked to the couch. She sat down with a sigh and closed her eyes, desperately trying to sort through her mind. She opened her eyes when her girlfriend placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her a bowl of stew.

Lin sat down on the couch next to her, picking up another bowl of stew from the coffee table that Kya hadn’t noticed before. “So, are you ready to talk?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think I am.” She took a deep breath. “I think I want to quit my job.”

“Do you want to talk about why?” Lin asked, blowing on some stew as she ate. 

Kya ate some stew and looked at her girlfriend’s worried gaze. “It’s too much for me. I feel like I’m trying to make up for all the people I couldn’t save. I feel so much stress and...and it’s a burden,” she said, tears rolling down her face. 

Lin placed a hand on her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Thank you for being honest with me. You don’t have to have this job if you don’t want to. I’ll talk with Saikhan about finding a replacement.”

“Talk with him about Erasi. He’s a new healer, but he is insanely smart. He can’t waterbend, so he understands the importance of teaching all types of healing, not just bending.”

“Sounds good.” 

The two ate in comfortable silence and Kya grabbed the bowl from Lin. She walked over to the sink and began washing the dishes. She gave a soft smile as Lin walked up behind her, wrapping her hands around her waist as she dried the ceramic.

* * *

"Do you want me to take care of you tonight?” she asked, leaning up into her ear. 

Kya felt her body erupt into shivers. “Please,” she whimpered. 

“Good,” she said with a low growl.

Kya felt herself dripping and legs shaking as Lin growled into her ear. She let out a high pitched sigh, just waiting for Lin’s hands on her body. 

“Go wait for me in the bedroom and get undressed,” she said, using that commanding voice that other officers feared but made Kya want to get on her knees and beg for her. 

She quickly walked to the bedroom and stripped her clothes off as fast as she could. She sat on the edge of the bed, legs shaking with the promise of what was to come. She folded her hands and placed them in her lap, waiting with anticipation. 

After an eternity, Lin walked in, fully clad in her armor. “Good girl,” she said, tilting her head up with a finger. “Now, I would normally gag you but I want to hear those pretty little sounds you make.”

Kya whimpered, causing Lin to chuckle. “Alright.” Her voice softened as she leaned into her ear. “If you get overwhelmed or need me to stop, use the safewords. Now, tell me. What’s our system?”

“Green for good, yellow for slowing down, and red to stop,” she recited perfectly. Once they had gotten into having more sex, Lin made sure they had a safeword system in place. 

“Good job,” she said, tracing her face with a finger. “Now, I’m going to try something new on you tonight.”

Kya trembled with anticipation. Lin smiled and leaned in to give her a kiss. Kya threaded her hands through the short gray hair, pulling the younger woman closer to her. She pulled away briefly to let out a low moan before attacking her lips. Lin gently bit on her lower lip, causing Kya to tremble. 

Lin reached down and ran a finger through her folds. “Look at how wet you are already,” she muttered into her ear, biting on her neck as Kya whimpered. “Is this all for me?”

“All for you,” she replied in a shaky voice. 

“Good. If it wasn’t, I’d have to remind you of your place, you little slut.” She gently pressed Kya down onto the bed and straddled her. The difference in clothing made Kya feel vulnerable, but she loved it. 

Lin sucked a line of hickies down her neck. Kya keened softly, desperately craving her girlfriend. “You’re being so sweet tonight,” she mused. “Here, you deserve to cum at least once before,” she said, standing up. 

Kya trembled as Lin walked around the bed. Her girlfriend kept eye contact with her as she bent between her thighs. She pressed a gentle kiss to her inner thigh and softly bit, still gazing at her face with those beautiful green eyes. 

She then licked a long stripe up her thigh until her face was right where Kya needed her. She let out a low moan as her girlfriend rolled her clit between her teeth. She lost herself in her girlfriend, allowing Lin to control her body and do what she wanted. Before long, she felt her first orgasm of the night wash over her. 

Lin wiped her chin, hand shining with her cum. Maintaining eye contact, she licked her hand off, causing Kya to whimper again. 

“You look so pretty like this,” she said, running her hands across her body. “You just lay there sweetly and make those pretty little noises. You’re fucking gorgeous.”

Lin pressed a soft kiss to her. Kya flinched in surprise as two cables grabbed onto her hands. “Green, you just surprised me,” she said, noticing her girlfriend’s look of concern at her flinch. She simply nodded and tied her to the bed with those cables.

“You look so pretty when you get all flustered like this,” she said, running a hand across her chest. “This blush of yours spreads far down,” she noted casually, rolling a nipple between her fingers. She pinched the bud and smirked at her moan. 

“Someone’s needy tonight,” she said, running her hand across her thigh. 

“Please,” Kya begged. She normally had some semblance of control over Lin, even if she was topping her, but right now she was wrapped around the police chief’s finger. She would do anything she asked. 

“Please what?” she smirked, dragging her nails down her chest.

“Please, make me cum. I need you to make me yours,” she panted, eyes closed in fear of rejection.

Lin simply pressed a gentle kiss to her eyelids, forcing her to open her eyes. “You want me to make you mine?” she asked, the question sending shivers down her spine. “Your wish is my command,” she said, turning around to bend her armor off. She placed the armor to the side, keeping her hands tied up. 

“Now, I got us a new toy,” she said, stripping quickly. She quickly buckled on a harness and Kya’s legs began to shake as she saw the thick dildo hanging between her thighs. She straddled Kya and gently eased the dildo into her. 

Kya gasped and began grinding against her. “Please, please, please,” she muttered frantically, just needing her to take control. Lin gave her a searing kiss as she pounded the dildo into her, hands playing with her breasts.

“You’re such a good slut,” she muttered into her ear. Kya couldn’t even respond, just letting out broken moans and whimpers. Lin pounded into her, the room silent except for the wet sounds of sex and Kya’s moans. 

“I can tell you’re close,” she said, leaving yet another hickey on her neck. “Cum for me,” she said, grabbing her hair to look her in the face. 

Kya whimpered, feeling another orgasm crash over her. Lin pulled on her hair, the pain combined with the intensity that Lin was fucking her with, making her surrender helplessly. To her surprise, Lin continued fucking her through the orgasm, quickly drawing a third out of her. Her girlfriend grinded down on the dildo as she fucked her, drawing an orgasm out of her as well.

She panted as Lin gently laid her down on the mattress. “You’re so good for me,” she said, running a hand through her long hair. Lin bent the cables away and threw the armor into their closet with her bending. 

She peppered kisses all across Kya’s face until she was coherent. “Please, fuck yourself for me,” she begged. Lin smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Kya propped herself up on a pillow as her girlfriend began running her fingers across her folds.

She let out a soft whine as her fingers entered her, thumb circling her clit. She panted Kya’s name. “You were so good for me,” she said, voice cracking. “Fuck, you looked gorgeous.” Her hips began grinding down into her hand and she came, frantically moaning Kya’s name. 

Kya wrapped her arms around her. The two laid in bed for a few minutes before Lin dragged them up to shower. She gently worked the shampoo into Kya’s hair, humming. 

  
“You know, I’m proud of you,” she said, pressing a kiss to the taller woman’s cheek. “You told me that you were upset and were able to tell me why.” 

Kya pulled her in for a tight hug. The women stood under the shower, letting the hot water wash away their worries. They got out and Lin grabbed a soft towel before gently drying her off. Her girlfriend hummed some random song she heard on the radio as she combed through her long hair. 

“Thank you,” she said, leaning her head against her. 

“You’re welcome.” The two curled up in bed, spending the rest of the evening reading and snuggling close. 

“I love you,” Lin said softly.

“I love you too,” Kya said with a soft smile. The two shared a sweet kiss before turning back to their respective books, leaning against each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important notice: I have finals next week. Ew, I know. I may not be updating for a bit due to finals (gotta love calculus), but then Christmas break is coming! I may have a short little Kyalin Christmas fluff fic planned ;) 
> 
> Anyways, thank y'all so much for everything. It means the world to me <3
> 
> Instagram: @bidisastervibes


	25. The Glacier Spirits Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya decides to go to the festival with her family. While she's there, she finds a stone perfect for a betrothal necklace. Kya and Bumi help Tenzin cope with his feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR THE SLOW UPDATE!!! Finals kicked my ass. I got a 39 on my calc final, but thankfully it was only worth 10% of my grade. I ended up with an 80 for the semester so I'm proud of myself! I was typing this up on Saturday, but a friend called and needed me. Yesterday, I had a disgusting headache. I finally typed up this chapter today! Tomorrow I leave to see my grandparents, so updates may slow for a bit.
> 
> This is the official start of S2! Let me know if y'all want the next chapter to be Kya or Lin's POV <3

Kya took a deep breath before pushing the door to their apartment open. She had spent the day with Tenzin, Pema, the kids, and Bumi. After finally quitting her job with the force two days ago, she told Lin she needed some time with her family to reorient herself. She had spent the past two days just spending time with her family and reflecting on herself.

Lin looked up from the couch where she was curled up with a book. “Hey baby,” she said with a soft smile. 

Kya pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Hey baby,” she said, pulling her girlfriend into a tight hug. 

“How was spending time with your family?” she asked, standing up to put her book back on the bookshelf. 

“It was good. How did the station take the news?”

“They honestly took it well. The plan is to promote the man you recommended, Erasi. He’s a good fit for the position, I can see why you liked him so much,” her girlfriend said, pouring a glass of wine. She poured a second glass after Kya nodded at her unspoken question.

“He’s a good fit. I actually went to the Winter Bison and talked with Ialli. I have a job there but I won’t start yet.”

“How come?” she asked, taking a sip of her wine. 

“The Glacier Spirits Festival is coming up. I was thinking of going with Tenzin and Bumi, but I’m not sure yet,” she admitted, allowing her insecurities to creep into her voice.

Lin grabbed her hand and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “If you want to go, you should go.”

“I don’t want to leave you though,” she said softly. 

“Well, I think you should go. It’ll be a chance to see your mom again and spend time with your family. Plus, triad cases are stacking up and I see a lot of late nights coming up in my future,” the police chief said dryly. “I want you to do what makes you happy.”

Kya pressed a kiss to her temple, causing the shorter woman to blush. “Thank you,” she said, knowing Lin would understand the full weight behind the words.

“I’ll always be here for you,” Lin said with her knowing “ _ I love you and understand what you’re saying even if you can’t outright say it” _ look. 

The two women sat on the couch, bodies pressed tightly together. They spent the rest of the evening softly talking and sharing the rest of the bottle of wine. Eventually, they decided to turn in for the night and stripped down to their wraps and underwear. They fell asleep holding each other tightly, the silent promise of their love and support for each other surrounding them

* * *

Kya let out a small sigh as she stepped off the ship at the South Pole. She was excited to see her mother again and enjoy the festival, but she missed her girlfriend. It was hard for her to sleep at night without her lover’s soft snores and comforting presence. 

After dropping her bags off at the tents, she walked to the festival. Kya thought it was ridiculous that they were staying in some tents when she had a house a few miles away, but Bumi had insisted on staying near Korra.

Her mom walked over to her with a smile. “Hello dear,” she said, pulling her into a tight hug.

“Hey Mom,” she replied, tightening the hug. 

“Now, walk with me so I can harass you about your girlfriend,” she said, poking her in the side.

Kya’s face erupted into a blush. “Mom!”

“What? I want to know if I’m going to have a Beifong in my extended family,” she said, taking a bite of some cotton candy with a smirk.

“Well...there’s a fun story there. She had a little bit too much to drink and basically said she wanted to marry me. She was so drunk, she didn’t even realize she was talking out loud,” she said with a small laugh.

Katara shook her head. “This would only happen to you honey. Now, I remember Bumi wrote me about some argument you two had. How did you two fix that?”

Kya sighed. “We both said hurtful things to each other and realized we needed each other. We started going to therapy and we’re in a much better place.”

“That’s good! I’m happy for you.”

“Well…” She took a deep breath, mentally bracing herself for the question she was about to ask. “Can you show me to the Tui and La Cove?”

Katara looked at her in shock. “You’re finally admitting how you are hopelessly in love with her!” she exclaimed, getting another blush out of her daughter.

“Well, I can see myself marrying her. I don’t know when I’ll be back down here, and I want the stone in case I carve a necklace,” she said sheepishly. 

Katara grabbed her hands, forcing Kya to look her in the face. “I support you, no matter what you decide with Lin. Now, just past the city limits there’s the cove. It’s down on the shore, near the old docks your father and I took you swimming. Go pick out the stone that calls to you and come back in time for the feast,” she said with a smile.

Kya nodded, throat closed with emotion. She quickly ran to the city limits and walked through the snow to find the cove. She wasn’t aware of the cold, her love for Lin keeping her warm and fueling her run. She finally came across the old wooden docks where her parents took her swimming in the summer. Feeling her nerves rise within her, she turned towards the arched entrance into the Tui and La Cove. 

She walked into the small cave, immediately feeling the serene spiritual energy embrace her. Her eyes widened in awe at the beauty of the cove. Tunnels of sculpted ice shone with the beautiful silver moonlight. The walls of the cove were lined with beautiful carvings about the significance of Tui and La and the origins of waterbending. 

She walked further into the cave until she came upon the famous pile of stones, the Blessed Gifts. There was a Southern Tribe legend that two waterbenders training under Tui and La fell in love. The man asked the spirits for blessing of his relationship and received a turquoise stone. The spirits guided the man into carving a beautiful betrothal necklace for his proposal. After accepting his proposal, he placed the carved choker around her neck. Tui and La were so moved by this show of love that they blessed a small sheltered cove in both poles. These two poles contained millions of beautiful stones for future betrothal necklaces and were known as the Blessed Gifts.

Kya bent down and critically looked at the pile. A beautiful crystal caught her eye and she picked it up. The green fluorite shimmered in the moonlight. Kya immediately knew that this was the one, this would be her stone for Lin. She placed the stone into a small sealskin pouch and smiled. She knew that marriage was in the near future and smiled in anticipation.

She ran back to the festival, excitedly looking for her mother. She found Katara talking with Pema as the kids ran through the festival, excitedly chattering about the stalls and games. She walked up and smiled at the two.

“Well, did you find your stone?” Katara asked.

“Yes, I did,” she replied, feeling her love for Lin warm her chest. She pulled the fluorite out of the pouch and cradled it in her palm. 

“That’s beautiful Kya,” Pema said. “What is it for?”

She blushed. “It’s for a betrothal necklace.”

Pema embraced her in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you,” she said, tightly hugging Kya. 

The waterbender smiled, feeling the love from her mom and sister in law surround her. She just hoped that Lin would eventually become an official member of the tightly knit family. She continued to think about her girlfriend while chattering with her family as they walked into the feast. 

Kya had a fantastic time teasing her brothers and watching Tenzin squirm would always make her laugh. She smacked Bumi in the head for stealing her cotton candy when Tenzin walked around the corner looking distraught. The two siblings immediately stopped what they were doing and wordlessly followed their brother as he walked to their tents. 

The three walked into Tenzin’s tent and the airbender sat on the bed with a sigh. “Can you two please leave?” he asked, voice breaking and eyes shining with tears.

  
“Tenny, you need us right now,” Bumi said gently, sitting next to his younger brother on the bed.

Kya sat on the other side of Tenzin and placed a hand on his. “We’re here for you. Tell us what’s wrong so we can help you.”

He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his beard. “Well, Korra found out that Tonraq and I kept her isolated at the compound. We did the best we could at the time but...she’s mad.” His voice trailed off and tears rolled down his face. “She left. She broke things off with me. I respect her decision but it  _ hurts.  _ I never felt like I was a good enough teacher for her and this cemented it.”

Kya wrapped him into a hug, putting her head on top of his. Bumi wrapped his arms around the two in their embrace. The siblings came up with this hugging system when they were little so they could all support each other when one was upset. 

“You are the best teacher anyone could have asked for,” Kya said softly, running a reassuring hand up and down his back. 

“Yeah! You taught Korra and you said it yourself, you respect her decision. I think it’s the wrong one, but when she realizes it yourself, you’ll still be here for her,” Bumi said.

Tenzin sighed and held onto Kya tightly. The trio held each other until Tenzin was able to get a handle on his emotions and understand that Korra’s decision was not his fault. She had chosen what she thought was right and the only reason she could even make a decision like that was because of him. 

Kya and Bumi stayed with Tenzin until Pema came in. They nodded at her and told their younger brother goodnight. The two siblings left his tent and went to their respective tents. 

Kya let her silver hair fall down her back and got into the bed with a sigh. Despite all of the furs, the bed wasn’t warm to her. She had gotten so used to sleeping with Lin she was barely able to do so without her. She went to bed with the thought of her beautiful girlfriend on her mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed!! I wanted to add some extra detail about betrothal necklaces, so this chapter is some of my headcanons! I was thinking about how they came about and had the idea to connect it to Tui and La. I hope y'all enjoyed! Much love babes <3
> 
> Instagram @bidisastervibes


	26. Siblings Can Suck but They're Also Great

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin have an arguement. (This occurs during Civil War Part 1) Afterwards, Bumi comforts his sister and makes a discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: This chapter deals with guilt, therapy, mental health and suicidal talk. If this will trigger you, please skip to the end notes for a summary. This chapter is not graphic but I want to give y'all a warning.
> 
> I am so sorry this took so long!! I went on a trip to my grandparents and forgot my charger. Then, my mental health plummeted and I got caught up in the holidays. Now that school is starting up tomorrow, I should be back to a normal schedule! I felt it wasn't necessary to rehash the kids argument, so I dealt with Kya's perspective afterwards. I did pull some direct quotes from the show, so those lines are not my own! Enjoy :D

_**(This is the design for the betrothal necklace, credit to holsen08 on DevinArt. The design referenced in this fic is the bottom right)** _

Kya sat in a lotus meditative position, the rising sun casting warm golden light onto her skin. She breathed in and out, letting her mind and body become overtaken with calm. Before long, the previous day with the Air Acolytes at the temple was all she could think about. She knew they were excited at the possibility of more airbenders, but the comment _“Avatar Aang had other children?”_ stung. Was her father really that ashamed of her? Did the world really forget about her?

She shook her head and let out a sigh, giving up on meditation. She pulled out water from the pouch on her waist and bent the water back and forth between her hands. She let herself get pulled into the familiarity of her bending, feeling the tension recede a bit. She knew she would never be fully out of her father’s shadow, but she wished Lin was here. Her girlfriend had an innate ability to sense when she was upset and reassure her with compliments.

She sat on a rock warmed by the morning sun while Tenzin sat and sipped on his tea. Pema joined them soon after, holding little Rohan. She let the two parents enjoy some rare peace and fed the lemurs by her feet.

Before long, Bumi made his presence known in the way that only Bumi could: by jumping onto a rock and giving Kya a small heart attack over his suspicious lack of clothing. “Well, lookee here, ‘Vacation Tenzin’ has finally decided to join us.”

“Yes he has,” Tenzin said, picking up Rohan and cooing over his baby. Kya was content to zone out for a while until his next sentence caught her attention. “And I've really enjoyed having you two around. Reminds me of all those great vacations we took as kids with Dad.”

Kya frowned, feeling those familiar feelings of inadequacy rise within her. “Uhh I think your memory’s a little foggy. Bumi and I weren’t on those great vacations. It was also just you and Dad.”

Kya tried her hardest to keep the venom from entering her voice, but thankfully her niece and nephew broke up the scene before long. She let out a quiet sigh and tried to get her emotions under control. She knew she shouldn’t blame Tenzin, but _spirits,_ someone needed to knock some sense into his thick skull.

She heard Pema blow up at her children, which rarely happened with the relaxed woman. “Honestly, I don’t know why you kids just can’t get along!”

Kya instinctively looked for Ikki, who always took her mother’s words to heart, before realizing she wasn’t there. Kya quickly connected the dots and walked over to her brothers, hearing Bumi offer to help look for her. “What do you say we all go together?” she asked, latching onto their shoulders.

Tenzin accepted her offer with a sincere smile, "Sure, I could use the help.”

* * *

_This was a horrible idea. This was a really fucking bad idea._ She began quietly shaking after the argument between her and her brothers. She and Bumi had turned to walk back to the temple, but she quickly ran into a nearby cave. All of the feelings of inadequacy had built up and exploded in her face and she needed to be alone right now. 

She sat on the floor of the rocky cave, not even feeling the sharp stones stab at her skin. All she felt was a suffocating feeling of worthlessness. She couldn’t even hold back her pathetic tears and sobs, letting out the pain she had carried for years. 

Li Meiza’s sessions and her girlfriend were the only reasons Kya hadn’t hurled herself off the edge of the cliff. She didn’t actively crave death, but when she got extremely hurt, everything felt like too much. It would be easier to be dead than deal with the shitstorm of emotions rolling through her right now.

She was so lost in her emotions she didn’t even register arms encircling her until Bumi began muttering assurances into her hair. “Kya, it’s okay. I’m here, I’ll always try to be. You’re safe with me,” he said, running a hand up and down her back gently. 

Kya let herself cry all the tears she could, head pressed into her brother’s shoulder, his arms holding her in a reassuring hug. Oftentimes when they were younger, the positions were reversed. One particular memory struck her at this moment. 

_She opened the door to her brother’s room, noticing the tears on his face. She silently walked up to her older brother and wrapped her arms around him into a tight hug._

_“Bum, what’s wrong?”_

_He looked at her with tears in his eyes. “I’m not a bender. I can’t bend water like you and I can't bend air like Tenny. I’m the only nonbender child to the Avatar and his famous crazy talented waterbending wife. I think I was a mistake,” he admitted softly._

_He pressed his head into her shoulder while she ran a hand up and down her older brother’s back. “Bumi, you’re not a mistake. You may be a nonbender, but so is Uncle Sokka. He fought so many benders in the war and came up with so many helpful inventions. Yeah, he can’t bend, but that’s okay. You aren’t a mistake for not being able to bend.”_

_She pressed a kiss to his hair. “I’ll always try to be here for you, no matter what. We’re family and family doesn’t abandon each other. I love you the same, and if Mom and Dad can’t, then they’re stupid.”_

_He let out a watery chuckle. “Thanks Ky,” he said, head still tucked into her shoulder._

_“It’s what siblings are for.” She continued to hold him even after he had stopped crying, just offering silent support._

“Ky, can you tell me what’s going on in your spiral?” he asked, tightening his hug. “I recognize it from last time.”

“I...I feel like a failure. I fucked up with you and Tenny.” He stayed silent, knowing she only called them by their nicknames when she was really upset, annoyed with them or happy. It wasn’t hard to tell which she was feeling right now. “I hurt you with the bender bullshit and I hurt Tenny with the legacy shit. I don’t feel worthy enough to be in this family, much less ask someone else to join it.” 

She pulled her fluorite out of its sealskin pouch. “She deserves someone better than me. She deserves better than a half assed waterbender fuck up.” 

Bumi picked the stone out of her hand and placed it back in the pouch. “Ky, you aren’t a fuck up. I’m sure your girlfriend loves you and you love her. Love is scary and you’re constantly afraid of failing the other, but you two will work through it.” He ran his fingers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

The two sat in silence until Kya felt herself calm down. “Bum, I’m-”

He held his hand up, cutting her off. “You don’t get to apologize to me. We all hurt each other tonight. I’m sorry and I know you are too, but you’ll also apologize for letting me help you. We’re siblings, yeah we’ll be bitches to each other, but we love each other. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Do you want to get up? I know these stones aren’t exactly comfy, but hey I don’t judge.”

She let out a small laugh. “Yeah, please.” She took the hand he extended to her and followed him as he walked out of the cave. 

“So, I heard you mention a girlfriend. Tell me about her if you can,” he said. “I know you want to propose or have it on your mind so it’s serious. I think I know who it is, so if you can, tell me so I know if I’m right or wrong.”

She blushed. “Yeah, it is serious. She’s not out to her family but she hasn’t spoken to them in years so I don’t know why she gives a shit. We’ve been living together for a while and she makes me _happy_ Bum. I’ve never felt this type of happiness until her.”

“So, is it Lin?” At her shocked face, he let out a chuckle. “I mean, ever since I heard you were living together I had my suspicions. Then, when you came over before we left, I noticed your lovestruck look whenever Lin’s name was mentioned. I don’t know how Tenzin hasn’t noticed, but he’s oblivious as fuck.”

She laughed. “Yeah, he is. She’s incredible. The reason I spiraled so bad last time was we had our first big fight. We went to therapy after that and our relationship is pretty damn stable. I mean...I want to marry her but I don’t know if she will accept it in reality.”

He raised an eyebrow at the last sentence. “Okay so, this is a fun story, Lin got drunk after we went to a restaurant. She was so drunk she didn’t realize she was speaking out loud and basically said ‘I want to marry her’. We talked about it and as soon as Li Meiza, our therapist, approves we’re going to get married.” 

Bumi picked her up and spun her around excitedly. “I’m so happy for you. You two are perfect for each other and think about it: you can get the best blackmail material from Lin to hold over him,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“That’s not a bad idea,” she said thoughtfully. “I went to the Tui and La Cove during the festival and got her the stone. I have no idea what to carve though.”

He grabbed a stick and began drawing in the dirt. “Okay so, she’s earth and you’re water. You can use the Earth Kingdom circle with the little square in the middle and add Water Tribe swirls!”

“I love it!” she exclaimed, memorizing the design. “Thank you, for the design and your approval. Just don’t tell Tenzin. Pema knows because she’s the one who told me to ask Lin out. Other than her and you, not many people know about our relationship and I know she wants to keep it that way. Something about safety and not wanting me to get kidnapped,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Sounds like the classic overprotective Beifong to me,” he said in mock serious agreement. She punched his shoulder and he laughed, before looking at her with a serious expression. “I won’t tell anyone, you can trust me. If you two decide on a courthouse wedding and need witnesses, you can call on me,” he said, showing his sincerity on his face.

Her eyes watered and she hugged him. “I want you there on my wedding day. If she’s willing, then I’m willing.” 

The two siblings walked up to the temple, before heading to bed. Tenzin was still out looking for Ikki, and they knew he’d be back when he was ready. When he was ready, they would be here for him. After all, it’s what siblings are for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Kya and Bumi help Tenzin look for Ikki. The three siblings get into a huge argument that causes Kya's insecurities to hit her full force. Bumi helps her calm down and reassures her that she's loved. She then reveals her relationship with Lin, which to her surprise he had already had his suspicions about. After a heart to heart, he offers to be there on her wedding day as a witness if they need one in their wedding for legal purposes. She excitedly accepts and the two wait for Tenzin to come back so they can all make up.
> 
> I really wanted to tie Bumi into this. I personally believe that Bumi acts more oblivious than he is to make other people underestimate him. I feel like he's observant as hell and known about their relationship, but like an awesome big brother, said nothing because he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. 
> 
> ALSO!! I finally have an idea fleshed out for my modern Kyalin AU. I think y'all will enjoy it but I also want to give love to my Red Lotus Korra AU. I've neglected that fic because I got distracted with this one so I'll be working to get these all done! Feel free to leave any feedback. The next chapter will probably be Kya's POV since she has a larger part in the first part of the season. Then, Lin will come into play for a few chapters. Love y'all <3
> 
> Instagram @bidisastervibes


	27. Haunting Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin deals with what's occurring in the Southern Water Tribe and how it impacts Republic City. After being shaken up by a hauntingly familiar scene, she lets Saikhan help her. She reluctantly realizes she needs to help someone else, ignoring the protectiveness that she feels with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: this chapter deals with Lin's flashbacks after the Cultural Center blew up. If you want to skip this, please skip the section after the first line and go to the second. It's nothing graphic, but I feel obligated to warn y'all <3
> 
> I am so happy that I'm getting back into the writing groove! I'm also reviving my Red Lotus Korra fic, so if that interests you feel free to check it out. A modern Kyalin fic is being planned out right now, along with my own original book! I have this fantastic idea and can hopefully turn it into a full story.
> 
> Enjoy :D

Lin ran a hand through her hair with a sigh. Korra and her friends had landed in Republic City earlier that day. She wouldn’t admit it, but she felt terrified seeing them. She knew that Korra would only come back if tensions were running extremely high in the Southern Water Tribe. She also knew that Kya was leaving to travel with Tenzin to some air temples or some spiritual shit, but she still worried over her. 

Saikhan popped his head in. “You look like shit,” he said, eyebrows knit in concern.

“Thanks. You sure know how to flatter a lady,” she said dryly, putting her head in her hands.

“How else do you think I got my wife?” He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m not holding up, that’s the problem. I know we need to focus on the Triads and the war going on and how it impacts our city. All I can think about is if she’s safe or not and I-” Her voice cut off, eyes filling with unshed tears. “I can’t focus on anything else and it makes me feel weak. Why are feelings so damn irrational?” she said with disbelief.

Saikhan let out a chuckle and pulled her into a hug. “Love makes you feel irrational. It’s called having normal emotional reactions to stress you dumbass. Lin Beifong, I love you, but you can be a dense motherfucker at times.”

She punched him in the shoulder. “Alright Captain, remind me to  _ accidentally _ make sure you get fired,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him. 

“Come on, we have to observe that peace march,” he said, rolling his eyes at his friend’s dumbass emotional processing issues. 

“Saikhan I-” Her voice cut off as she stood up. “I...thank you. For everything,” she said, voice betraying how much emotion she was revealing to him.

“Someone has to keep an eye on you Chief,” he said. “I’ll be here for you, Chief or not.” 

She gave him a simple nod, knowing if she said anymore she would start crying in gratitude. She hated expressing emotion around anyone besides Saikhan, Li Meiza, or Kya, but everytime she wanted to, it overwhelmed her. It screamed against her instincts to protect herself and others, but Li Meiza was helping her work through it. 

“Let’s get out there,” she said, giving him a gentle fist bump. 

* * *

The explosion shook her to her core. All around her, she noticed people crying and screaming. One small child looked up at the building in flames, hand loosening on her stuffed turtleduck in shock. She saw Korra and Mako arguing, but everything felt muted. All of the sudden, she wasn’t looking at the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center, but a hauntingly familiar gray stone building. 

She walked away from the chaos, not even noticing she was moving until she collapsed in an alley. “No, no, no,” she muttered, trying to stop remembering. She went through the grounding exercise Li Meiza taught her, but engaging her senses didn’t help. It only made things worse, reinforcing the arid stench of smoke, fire, ash and death. She closed her eyes, trying to stop drowning in the memories.

_ The building behind her went up in smoke, causing her to loosen her grip on Saikhan in shock. She placed him and her coworker down gently by a healer before calling out for Raina. There was no response, just the smoking rubble of the building taunting her silently. Her mother glared at her and had her mouth opened in a familiar roar of anger. She knelt by the smoldering ruins, feeling the guilt weigh her down. _

She groggily registered someone kneeling next to her, running a hand up and down her back. They murmured gentle words of encouragement, holding her tight.

“Kya?” she asked, confused about what was going on.

“Hey, it’s Saikhan. Come on, let’s go home,” he said, helping her stand up. 

She wordlessly let him lead her away from the wreckage. Everything moved in a blur around her. She briefly registered Saikhan leading her to a Satomobile and taking her up to his apartment. 

“Your extra sweats are in the dresser,” he said, opening the door to the guest room. 

She gave him a brief nod of thanks. She knew she wasn’t focused right now and probably ignored all of her manners, but Saikhan and Hoya knew her. They both knew she couldn’t focus on shit right now, hell she barely remembered the drive here. 

Lin quickly showered and dressed in her sweats. She pulled the RCPD hoodie over her head, feeling like the fabric was giving her one of Kya’s soft, warm hugs. She walked out into the main room with a small smile. 

Hoya handed her a small bowl of warm jook as she sat down.

“Thank you,” she said with a small smile.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Saikhan asked, eyebrows knit in concern. Hoya reached a hand across the table and gently squeezed her hand.

She closed her eyes before letting out a sigh and opening them. “I had a flashback to what happened with Raina. I wasn’t here anymore...I was there. You were bleeding out in my arms, Raina was dead, and my mom was screaming as usual,” she said with a dry laugh. 

“Well, if I ever see your mom remind me to slap her in the face,” Hoya muttered, drawing a surprised laugh out of both police officers. “She sounds like a bitch! You just went through trauma and she yelled at you, like what the fuck?”

Lin chuckled. “Yeah, she could be a bitch at times. She definitely wasn’t a gentle parent, or very active one, I had to pick up the slack with Su. She did the best she could, but it just wasn’t enough.”

They all talked for a bit before Lin let out a small yawn. “Alright Chief Sleepy, time for bed time,” Saikhan said. 

“I’m fine,” she insisted. To her surprise, Saikhan stood up and hoisted her over his shoulder. “

She let out a very undignified yelp. “Saikhan you BITCH!” She screamed in surprise. “Put me down!” 

He chuckled and threw her on the bed, knowing he didn’t hurt her. She glared at him, but couldn’t keep up her irritated facade for long. He knew her too well for that.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Of course. We have to look out for each other, remember?” he said, enveloping her in a hug. In the early days of police training, the two made a promise to look out for each other. Decades later, they still kept that promise.

“Goodnight,” she said, squeezing him tightly before letting him go.

“Goodnight,” he said, walking out of the room.

* * *

To no one’s surprise, Chief Beifong looked and felt like shit the next day. She looked at Raiko, wondering if it would be easier to simply murder the man and cover it up. She still held a bitter grudge against him after dismissing her girlfriend’s skills when she worked on the force. 

Saikhan nudged her in the side as they left the room. “Thankfully you didn’t kill him.”

“Yet. Yet is the key here,” she said, glancing at him with amusement.

He rolled his eyes, stopping to glance at the desks in concern. “Shit, Mako’s been here for days. He’s sleeping at his damn desk. Lin,” he said, turning to look at her.

“That’s your ‘you-fucked-up’ voice, what did I do this time? Oh I know! You realized I am far hotter than you’ll ever be,” she said with a smirk.

He hit her in the back of the head. “Come on, cut that shit out. You know you care about the kid!”

“I-I don’t!” The blush staining her cheeks definitely didn’t help her case.

He raised an eyebrow unconvinced. “Uh huh, sure thing. Take him back with you, the poor kid is neglecting himself. A tad bit too familiar of a situation there Chief,” he said, nudging her in the side.

She rolled her eyes, but walked over to his desk. The firebender had dark bags under his eyes and looked exhausted. He had a death grip on his coffee mug, probably only running on fumes and caffeine at this point if his face was any indication. 

“KId you don’t look hot,” she said, voice light with amusement.

“I have to work this,” he said, looking up at her with a determination that reminded her far too much of herself. 

“You’re no good when you run yourself into the ground. Come on, you’re coming home with me because you need someone to make sure you aren’t going to die from a lack of care. Come on,” she said.

Surprised, he followed her back to the apartment. She opened the door to her home with a sigh. “Alright kid, Kya loves to steal Bumi’s shit for some reason. She has an absurd amount of his sweats in the dresser there. They’re clean but will probably be big,” she said with an apologetic shrug.

“I-” His voice cut off. “Thank you Chief.”

“Don’t mention it kid. Go get cleaned up,” she said, turning to her room to change. She quickly bent her armor off before throwing on some loose sweats and a white tank top. 

She quickly chopped up some vegetables and decided to just reheat her leftovers from yesterday. She heated some of the halibut stew on the stove, the smell reminding her of her girlfriend.

“I didn’t know you cooked Water Tribe food,” Mako commented, coming out of the guest room in comically big sweats.

She let out a snort. “I had to learn when Kya moved in. She’s a sucker for these meals,” she said.

“She’s the one, isn’t she? She’s the girl you told me about at that restaurant,” he said.

“How the fuck did you figure that out kid?” she asked, voice full of disbelief.

“You had this little smile on your face talking about her. I remembered you mentioning she made you happy, you two live together, and I saw those lingering glances when she was on the force. It just connected the dots for me,” he admitted sheepishly.

“You’re perceptive as hell kid,” she said.

“Only when it comes to other people’s issues. When it comes to my own shit, I am clueless.”

“I feel you,” she said with a laugh.

“How have things been between you two?” he asked, eating some of the stew.

“Well, it’s going well. I’m thinking of carving a betrothal necklace for her,” she said. “I just don’t know how to work it with her necklace.”

“Well, maybe you could bend a hole in the stone,” Mako said. “Then you can attach it using a metal ring you can bend on and off.”

“Shit kid, you’re like a genius,” she said appreciatively. “I’ll talk with Ialli soon about it. She’s the owner of this hippy store Kya likes and she’s from the Southern Tribe as well. She may be able to help me with a design.”

“I hope it works out well for you two,” he said.

“Me too. Now come on kid, you need your rest.” She held up a hand to cut off his protests. “I’ve been in your role before. Saikhan was getting on my case and it helped me, even if I don’t like to admit it. It’s okay to get help and I recognize that fatigue,” she said gently.

“Thank you for everything,” he said, offering an exhausted salute.

  
“Of course kid. Goodnight,” she replied, walking into her room. She threw herself on the bed, feeling the exhaustion seep into her bones. She quickly fell asleep, ignoring the disturbingly mother-like protective urges that surged within her when she helped Mako.  _ Nope, I can’t deal with this shit. It’s too damn late, _ she thought, rolling over to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed! I absolutely adore Lin basically adopting Mako because of work and going "this kid can't take care of himself. He my son now, fight me Raiko"
> 
> I'll probably do a few more Lin chapters! Trust me, she's definitely planning a betrothal necklace as well ;) These two will be in for a surprise to say the least. Much love babes <3


	28. My Heart was a Home Built Just for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin goes to therapy after some intense emotional revelations. Li Meiza helps her accept her emotions and tells her she's proud of her progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO MY LOVES! I have finally figured out a posting schedule! My plan is to update every Sunday :D I may post more chapters on random days, but y'all should expect a new chapter at least every Sunday.
> 
> ALSO SHOUTOUT TO @memoriesofyeol ON INSTAGRAM! They left a comment saying how my story gives them joy. (unsure if it was this one or Red Lotus Korra, so I'm including it on both heheh) I really love and cherish y'all's comments so much. I'm really lucky to have such supportive readers. I love y'all so much <3

“You don’t look so hot,” Li Meiza noted. 

“Yeah, I wonder what gave it away,” Lin replied sarcastically. 

Li Meiza looked at her critically, noting her limp, unkempt hair and dark bags underneath her eyes. “Well, at first I thought that you hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep lately. That would explain the hair and eye bags.”

She paused and took a sip of her tea, ignoring the glare sent her way. “But, you hold stress in your shoulders. Your hands are shaking with the effort to stay calm and focused. You’re falling apart.”

Lin forced her hands to stop shaking. “I’m fine. I have to be,” she said, rolling her shoulders out. 

“That’s the thing Lin,” she said, placing her tea down. “You don’t have to be okay. Yes, you are a police chief but you’re human. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Lin sighed. “Well, I had to arrest one of my cops. We found explosives in his apartment and...and they were the bombs used to blow up the Cultural Center.”

“You think something’s off,” she noted.

“Well yeah. Mako has a damn good moral compass. I-” Her voice trailed off and her eyes filled with tears. “I let him in.”

Li Meiza placed a soft hand on hers, offering silent support. “I let him in. I care about the kid. He was running himself ragged and I forced him to come back with me to the apartment. I made him sleep and get cleaned up. I...I even felt mother-like protectiveness over him.”

The tears in her eyes spilled over. “He connected the dots about me and Kya. He even helped me come up with an idea for a bethrothal necklace. It makes no sense that he would show me this smart, dorky little kid and then just go crooked like that.”

“If you felt like this, then why did you arrest him?” she asked, not offering judgement but just asking.

“We had to follow a lead given to us by the Triads. He worked with them for some kind of sting operation, so we had to follow up and search his apartment. We found a shit ton of yuans and explosives in his closet.”

She stood up and began pacing in anger. “It doesn’t make any fucking sense! The evidence is there but I can’t believe he’s guilty because-”

“Because you care about him.”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “I only care about a handful of people: Kya, Saikhan, Bumi, Tenzin, Pema, and their kids. I’m fucking terrified to let new people in. Korra and her friends are already coming in, but Mako was the first. I-” 

She ran a hand through her hair, further tangling it. “I hate this. I fucking  _ hate _ feeling vulnerable like this. I’m not used to it.”

“I think this is a good thing Lin,” she said, pouring a cup of tea for the stressed earthbender.

“This is forcing you to be honest with yourself.  _ You just admitted you’re not used to being vulnerable and that you care about other people. _ This is so much progress from when you first came in. It might not seem like much, but it really is. I’m proud of you,” she said, handing her the warm cup.

She took a long drink, letting the tea warm her up and calm her down. “I want to propose to Kya when she gets back. I love her so much and I know she feels the same way.”

“Have you two talked about marriage before?” Li Meiza asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yeah. We wanted to go through some therapy first and work through some of our trauma first. Do..do you think we’re ready?” she asked, looking away in nervous anticipation.

Li Meiza walked over to her and sat next to Lin on the couch. “Hey,” she said, placing a hand on hers. “You two are so in love with each other. You care so deeply for each other and have made immense progress. When you first came in, it was obvious that you were there because you two wanted to fix and strengthen your relationship. Safe to say, you’ve achieved that and more. I think you two have been ready for a long time, but needed to come to terms with it.”

“Thank you,” she said, showing one of her rare sincere smiles. “I couldn’t have gotten here without you.”

“Hey, what else are therapists for?” she replied. “I think you two were meant for each other.”

Lin gave a tearful nod, throat too tight with emotion to speak. She projected as much thanks as she could into a teary smile. Based off of the pure grin she received, it was obvious she succeeded. Shit might be rough right now, but it will pass and she’ll recover, as long as she has her other half: Kya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is very much a "huh, I should write about how Lin is feeling right now" and then 806 words later, I end up with this. I know this a short chapter, but I wanted to talk about her emotions! Another update is coming tomorrow (wow I'm posting this at 12:15 AM on Saturday, sleep who?) so this will hold y'all over till then! 
> 
> I really hope y'all enjoyed this. As always, comment any ideas or criticism y'all have! Love you babes <3
> 
> Instagram: @bidisastervibes


	29. My Other Half is You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin deals with the the strange protectiveness she feels over Mako while he's in jail. Then, she comes to shocking emotional revelations when Mako is proved innocent. Kya comes back to the apartment and askes a crucial question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We. Are. Finally. Here.
> 
> Buckle up and prepare for love babes! This chapter is straight up fluff and smut. If you want to skip the smut, stop reading when you see the line of asterisks. I really hope y'all enjoy this :D

Lin let out a low growl as she watched Bolin’s retreating form. She had seen the now mover famous earthbender come in to visit his brother, so she discreetly stuck around. When she heard him saying Mako would have no problem getting the insanity defense, she saw red. She forced herself to stay calm and out of sight. 

Ever since Mako had been thrown in the jail cell, she had come up with excuses to hang around the station. She even threw a blanket and pillow into his cell when he was asleep. No one seemed to know where the bedding came from, or didn’t care. She was doing the best she could to make sure Mako was okay, discreetly of course. 

She shook her head and walked out of the station. She hopped in her Satomobile and drove to the Pro-bending Arena to make sure security for Varrick’s mover premier was okay. She personally thought they were stupid as fuck, but if they made people feel sympathetic to the Southern Water Tribe and support them, she sure as hell wouldn’t argue against it. She supported the South completely in this war, but she couldn’t go public with her views. Tensions were flaring in Republic City, and her job was to make sure her city was as safe as possible, regardless of how it impacted her.

She shook her head and walked into the arena, triple checking to make sure security was as tight as possible. Her own feelings of unease about Varrick or Bolin be damned, she had to make sure they were safe. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if something went wrong.

* * *

Of course something went wrong. It always would, but _damn_ she thought it was less likely this time. She ran a hand over her face and sighed. Mako was finally able to prove his innocence and proved his hunch was right: Varrick was the culprit. She felt so proud when she promoted him to detective, giving him one of her rare smiles.

She walked out of the station, planning on going home and just sleeping as long as she could. She pushed open the door to her apartment and stopped in shock.

“Hey,” Kya said, getting up off the couch and walking over to her.

“Hey,” she replied, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Quickly, the kiss became heated and desperate. She had missed her so much and poured raw emotion into the kiss.

Kya broke away first and put her forehead against Lin’s. “We came in to warn Raiko. We’re leaving tomorrow but I had to see you. I missed you so much,” she said, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman.

Lin stepped back to bend her armor off. “I missed you too,” she replied, stepping back into her lover’s embrace, clad in just her tank top and pants. She tucked her head against her chest, just listening to her heartbeat. 

“Hey can we talk?” Kya asked, heart beginning to race nervously. 

“What’s up?” Lin asked, immediately anxious. Kya was gently tugging on her necklace, a nervous habit of hers. 

“It’s-” She paused, blue eyes gazing intensely at her. “It’s nothing bad but I had a different vision. Spirits, I’m doing a shit job,” she said, letting out a short laugh.

Lin stepped back and put a hand on her face. “Hey,” she said gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “It’s okay. I’ll pour some wine while you collect your thoughts.”

Kya nodded, throat closing up with emotion. She quickly walked over to the couch, picking up her bag. She picked up the necklace, gingerly holding it. She had spent all of her free time carving the charm for the betrothal necklace. As soon as they landed in Republic City, she went to a jeweler she had talked to before she left. They had managed to put a beautiful line of sapphires and emeralds on a stunning silver chain. At her request, they then surrounded the chain with her black ribbon. 

She held the necklace in her hand, eyes welling with emotion. For now, she put the necklace back in its sealskin pouch. She walked over to the kitchen and accepted the glass of wine handed to her.

“Alright so, I imagined this being all grand and romantic in my head, but I’ve decided it can’t wait so fuck it,” she said, taking a sip of her wine.

“Baby, what’s going on?” Lin asked, looking at her in concern.

“You know, I’ve been thinking lately. I love you so much Lin Beifong. You mean the world to me. Every second I spent away from you _hurt_ me. I-” Her voice trailed off, eyes filling with tears. 

“I love you more than anything. You’ve become the most important thing in my life. So, I got you this,” she said, anxiously showing the pouch in her hand. 

She untied the pouch with shaking hands, letting the sealskin fall to reveal the necklace within. “You’re the most important thing. You’re not only my best friend, but my greatest support, my true love, my other half. I can’t imagine the rest of my life without you by my side. Will you marry me?” she asked, voice shaking with the intensity of her love.

Everything came to a stop for Lin. She just looked at the beautiful necklace, staring at the charm that showcased their love. Tears welled in her eyes, this necklace was a representation of their love. Lin threw her arms around her, letting the tears in her eyes roll down her face. “Of course I’ll marry you,” she said with a watery smile. 

“I love you so much. I think you were meant for me. I can’t imagine being with anyone else, it would destroy me to not have you with me.” She kissed her, letting the tears of joy in her eyes spill over.

Kya took the necklace in her hands and tied the ribbon around her neck. The silver chain studded with a beautiful row of sapphires and emeralds shone against the black ribbon, the fluorite charm only adding to the beauty. She had taken her brother’s suggestion and carved it with the Earth Kingdom circle and the Water Tribe swirls. The charm hung in the hollow of her throat, proudly shining.

“I’m yours and you’re mine,” she said, kissing her fiancée.

“Until death do us part,” she replied, holding her face in her hands. Her fiancée, _spirits she was her betrothed now_ , leaned her pale face into her dark hand. She pressed a gentle kiss to her palm, both hearts swelling in love. 

[Necklace image](https://imgur.com/a/DwQjq1p) (Sorry I couldn't upload the pic directly into here, AO3 was not cooperating with me)

********

Kya stepped closer to her. “You know, we should celebrate,” she said, running her thumb across her lips. 

Lin’s face turned red at her lover’s voice. “I’m okay with that idea,” she said, hating how her voice came out in a high pitch.

Kya leaned down, forcing Lin against the counter. “Good girl,” she said, breath hot against her ear.

Lin let out a small whimper she couldn’t hold back if she tried. She was so stupidly in love with this woman and she needed her right now. “Please,” she whispered.

Kya took mercy on her and slid her right hand down her body. “Now, you’re going to look me in the eyes,” she said, tugging on her hair with her left hand.

“Yes ma’am,” she choked out, already feeling her core tighten with arousal. 

“You know, you’re mine now,” she said, tracing a finger across her collarbones. “It’s. Showing. Right. Here.” With every word, she sucked a hickey onto her chest, leading up to the charm dangling in the hollow of her throat.

Lin let out a low moan. “I’m yours,” she agreed, voice shaking already.

“It’s okay my slutty princess, I’ll take care of you,” she said, running a hand across the top of her underwear. 

Lin whined in anticipation, already feeling herself begin to drip. Kya smirked and licked a stripe down her neck, gently biting on her pulse point. She slid her hand underneath the fabric, enjoying the hitch in her lover’s breath at the movement. She then slid a finger through the folds, enjoying the whimper she received.

“You’re already so wet for me,” Kya said, letting out a low moan. “You’re such a good slut. You’re _mine._ ” 

“I’m yours,” Lin agreed breathlessly as the grip in her hair tightened. Her fiancée’s shameless protectiveness turned her on to no end. 

“Good girl,” she replied, gently thumbing at her clit. “You’re so good for me, my little slut. Look me in the eyes as I fuck you and let me hear those pretty noises you make.”

Lin moaned, shamelessly spreading her legs apart further apart for Kya. Kya’s fingers gently entered her, rubbing against her walls. Kya then began fingering her ruthlessly while simultaneously attacking her clit.

“Tell me who you belong to as you cum,” she growled into her ear. 

Lin let out a whine. The feeling of Kya was already overwhelming her senses. The fingers inside of her, the hot breath against her ear, the firm grip in her hair, the painfully good pressure against her clit. Everything was hers now. 

“I belong to you,” she whispered, feeling herself climb towards her first climax.

“Good girl. Now cum for me, my slutty princess,” Kya muttered, tugging on her hair even more. 

Lin came with a long moan, falling apart on her fingers. She looked to her betrothed in a daze and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. 

Kya gently pulled her to the bedroom. “Here, lay down. I’ll undress you,” she said, gently pressing a kiss to her palm. 

Lin laid down on the bed, letting her soon-to-be wife control her. Kya climbed on top of her, straddling her between her thighs. She gently pulled her tank top off over her head, pressing soft kisses to her arms. 

“You don’t have to do that,” Lin said, ducking her head in embarrassment.

Kya tilted her chin up and looked her in the eyes. “Tonight I’m going to worship you. I’m going to memorize every inch of your skin,” she said, accentuating her point with a soft kiss to her bicep.

Lin nodded and kissed her gently. She let Kya continue kissing her way down her body, taking off pieces of clothing as she went. Kya pressed soft kisses over every inch of skin she could reach. 

Kya finally looked up at her between her thighs, pushing her pants down. “Well, well, well,” she said, running a finger across the line of her underwear.

“You’ve absolutely ruined these love,” she said, pressing an opened mouth kiss to her inner thigh. “Is this all for me?”

“All for you,” she said, panting. “Only for you.”

Kya smiled and slid her underwear down. “You’re absolutely soaking my love. Already ready to cum again?” she asked, sliding her own clothing off.

She smirked at her lover’s desperate nod. “Well, tonight is going to be fun for you,” she said, reaching to the nightstand. 

Lin eyed her in anticipation, watching her pull out a black bag. “I got us a new toy,” she said, biting her pulse point softly. 

Kya took the toy out of the bag, showing her the double ended dildo. “Now, we can fuck each other,” she said, voice setting her core on fire. 

She raised an eyebrow in a silent question to which Lin readily answered. She watched as Kya teased herself with the toy, moaning her name. Kya finally slid the black toy into her dark folds before pressing a kiss to Lin’s lips. 

She turned herself against Lin, scissoring their legs together. Kya thrusted down, gently easing the toy into her. Lin let out a low moan at the incredible feeling of Kya’s sex against hers while simultaneously being filled. 

The two began to grind against each other. “You’re so fucking good for me,” Kya praised between moans. “You’re such a good girl.”

Lin simply whined, feeling herself float. It felt like all that mattered in the world was the feeling of Kya against her and her lover’s coaxing words. She moaned, speeding up her grinding as she reached her peak. 

“Please,” she begged. At this point, she didn’t even know what she was asking for. She just felt drunk on this intense feeling of love. 

“Cum for me baby,” Kya muttered, chasing her own peak as well.

Before long, both women crashed into one of the most intense orgasms they’ve ever had. Kya gently eased the toy out of Lin before taking it out of herself. She furrowed her eyes in concern when she noticed her lover simply laying there.

“Baby, are you okay?” she asked, placing a hand against her face.

Lin tried to nod, but she didn’t know if she was successful. “Everything’s floaty,” she said, voice slightly slurring.

“Okay, hey look at me,” Kya said, pressing a soft kiss to her. “I’ve heard about this before and it’s called a sub drop. Now I’m going to take care of you, okay?” At Lin’s nod, she quickly walked to the bathroom and turned the shower on.

Lin whined at the immediate loss of contact. Right now, she needed Kya. She was the only thing keeping her grounded. Quickly, she felt her familiar warmth against her skin and relaxed into her lover’s body.

Kya pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and picked her up. She carried her to the warm shower, gently lowering her to the ground so she could stand. She quickly shampooed her own hair before slowly working it into Lin’s. She ran her fingers through the short gray hair, gently massaging her scalp. 

Kya then rinsed their hair and conditioned her own. She then applied the conditioner to Lin’s hair, gently untangling the knots. She quickly washed their bodies down with soap before rinsing them off. 

As she bent the water off of them, she silently thanked the spirits for waterbending. She quickly guided Lin to the bed before wrapping her up in a soft blanket. 

“I’m going to get us some tea,” she said, gently leaning her against some pillows. “I’ll be back soon my love.” Kya quickly walked out to the kitchen and prepared a pot of tea. While she waited for the tea to boil, she grabbed some snacks for Lin. 

She reached up and grabbed a plate, placing the grapes, dark chocolate, and lychee nuts on the ceramic. She poured the warm tea into two mugs, walking back into their bedroom. 

“Hey baby, I got you some food,” she said, placing the mugs and plate on their nightstand. 

She snuggled up to Lin, who still looked disconnected and out of it. She pressed a kiss to her forehead before grabbing some chocolate. She placed a piece in her mouth, gently mummering praise. She continued feeding Lin from the plate while waiting for Lin to come down from her drop.

Before long, Lin looked at her with clear eyes. “Hey baby,” she said, voice cracking.

“Hey beautiful,” she said, handing her a warm mug of tea. “Here, drink up. I know your throat must be hurting.”

Lin smiled in appreciation before taking a sip of the tea. Kya continued to feed her, and to her surprise, Lin didn’t put up a fight.

“Are you feeling okay?” Kya asked, running a hand through her hair. 

“Yeah,” she replied, pressing a soft kiss to her palm. “I don’t know what happened to me though. It was like I was drunk and floating. You were the only thing keeping me grounded.”

“That’s a sub drop Lin. It happens sometimes during sex. I’m here to help you,” she said, gently kissing her. 

Lin closed her eyes and tucked her head into her chest. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she replied, pressing a kiss to her lips.

Before long, the single kiss evolved into a soft makeout session. Kya let out a soft sigh, letting herself cry softly. 

“Spirits, I love you so much,” she said, tears of joy rolling down her face.

“I love you too. It’s why I’m marrying you my dear,” Lin replied, her own watery eyes showing her emotion.

In the morning, Kya would have to leave and fight. Lin would have to protect the city. Their duties would be thrust upon them. For now though, they had each other. Until the sun rose over the horizon, their sole responsibility was to each other. For now, they just basked in each other’s presence, love strengthening them to go forward and keep on. They would keep on going for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THESE TWO IDIOTS FINALLY GOT ENGAGED!! Wooo! I'm really excited to wrap up S2 and move on to S3. S3 is where I really have some incredible ideas for these two. 
> 
> Love y'all so much <3
> 
> Instagram: @bidisastervibes


	30. How to Deal with a Massive Asshole Ruining Your Wedding Plans by Threatening World Domination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin wake up after the proposal. Kya has to go with her family to the SWT in order to fight Unalaq and try to save Jinora. Lin tells Saikhan about her new relationship status and Kya goes through a lot. Like, a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for not updating yesterday! Life got hectic, so enjoy this LONG chapter as a treat. We're finishing up S2 babey!! Enjoy the absolute chaos this chapter is. There are a lot of line breaks where it felt natural, so apologies in advance for the many MANY line breaks!
> 
> Also, poor Kya has a rough chapter. I'm sorry D: I hope y'all enjoy <3
> 
> NOTICE: there are several parts where I stole dialogue directly from the show. Those lines belong to their rightful owners and I don't claim them as mine. Credit to the amazing writers of LoK for that dialogue.

The next morning Kya woke up to Lin’s head resting on her chest. Her heart swelled with love as she gazed at her fiancée’s mess of gray hair.

“Morning,” she said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Lin looked back up at her with a smile. “Morning.”  
  


The two got out of bed and got dressed. Lin threw on her tank top and brushed her hair out in the bathroom. She hummed as she gently untangled the gray hair.

Kya slid up behind her, fully dressed. “Here, do you want me to heal those?” she asked, gesturing at the hickies lining her collarbones.

“Yeah, just heal the visible ones,” she replied with a wink.

Kya bent some water between her hands and lovingly placed the glowing water on her lover’s pale skin. She met her gaze in the mirror and smiled. 

“I’m so glad you proposed,” Lin said. “I just need to work on making something for you.”

“Baby, you don’t have to do that,” Kya protested.

“No, but I want to,” she replied.

Kya’s entire body warmed at the intensity of her love. She pulled the water away from her body and leaned in. She gently pressed a soft kiss to her lips, smiling at the tenderness she felt in the kiss.

“Who would think the great Lin Beifong would be soft over a simple waterbender?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her waist.

“Well, you’re not just a simple waterbender to me. You are my everything. You’re my pillar. You’re my stupidly beautiful, kind, gentle fiancée who deserves everything I can give you and more. You’re Kya,” she replied.

Kya felt her eyes water at the proclamation of love. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Lin replied, placing a hand on the side of her face.

Kya leaned her face into her hand. “I just have one request,” she said as she pressed a soft kiss to her palm.

“Anything,” she replied.

Kya took a deep breath, feeling her nerves rise. “Can...can I take your name?” she asked, feeling her face turn red. “I know you’ve never felt like a true Beifong, which is absolute bullshit, and you feel like you have to carry that weight alone. I-” 

She took another deep breath to prevent her heart from racing any faster. “I don’t want you to carry that weight alone. You’re going to be my wife. You’re not going to be alone anymore. You don’t have to be alone.”

Lin let the tears gathering in her eyes spill over. “Of course you can take my name,” she said, gently lacing their hands together. “I like the sound of Kya Beifong.”

Kya smiled, letting their love warm her. “I have to go,” she said sadly.

“Duty calls,” Lin replied sadly.

“At least we have each other.”

“I wouldn’t trade that for anything,” she replied, pressing one last kiss to her soft, brown lips. She smiled as she walked out of the apartment. 

Lin touched the necklace hanging around her neck as she walked to the station. She was floating on a high of happiness as she walked down the streets of the city she loved with the promise of marriage with the woman she loved. 

“Hey,” Saikhan said with a nod.

“Hey,” she replied with a smile. 

“Oh shit. You smiled. Who are you and what have you done with Chief Beifong?” he asked, voice filled with concern.

“Come to my office in five and find out,” she replied. 

Saikhan raised an eyebrow but let it slide. Typically, Lin only called him into her office if it was work or something personal. He’s pretty damn confident it’s not work, so something happened. 

Lin placed her bag down and bent her armor off. At Saikhan’s knock, she bent the door open. 

“What’s up?” he asked, confused as to why she had her armor off. “Did so-”

His voice cut off as he noticed the necklace hanging around her neck. “Spirits, did... _did she propose?_ ” he asked, voice filled with disbelief.

At her smile, he stepped forward. “Can I take a closer look?” he asked.

He gently tilted the charm up to see the carving better in the light. “She did a beautiful job. The studded chain adds to it,” he said.

“Yeah, she did a great job. I’m just so _happy_.”

“You deserve it. You deserve happiness,” he said with a smile. 

Lin smiled and stepped back to bend her armor back on. “I actually have a favor to ask,” she said, voice slightly wavering.

“What’s up?”

“Will you be a witness at our wedding?” she asked. “We’re just going to do a simple courthouse wedding. I just want something small first.”

“Of course I’ll be there. You’re my best friend,” he said, wrapping her into a hug.

To both of their surprises, she hugged him back. “Thank you for everything.”

“Of course. Do you need anything else Chief?” he asked, offering her a mock salute.

“That’ll be all Captain,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

* * *

“Shit.” Kya was inwardly cursing everything. These fucking dark spirits were annoying. All she wanted was for the world to be safe so she could marry a certain sexy earthbender, but of course the shithead Unalaq had to ruin it. SHe had no idea how Korra was related to that douche, but she knew from first hand experience that family wasn’t everything. 

Kya felt her heart stop as she saw Bumi being taken down by a spirit. “Bumi!” she cried out. 

Her panic only increased as Oogi flew closer to the ground, weighed down by the spirits. Before long, they were thrown from the saddle as Oogi crashed into the ground. _Shit, this is gonna hurt_ , she thought before her vision went black.

Surprise, it did hurt! Kya groaned as she opened her eyes, surprised to see she was inside of a tent. She looked down and realized she was chained right next to Tenzin. Nearby, Korra woke up with a groan and became talking with her father.

She let out a low growl when she saw that bastard Unalaq come in. He began rambling about how he would become all powerful. She looked up and made eye contact with Eska and Desna. They seemed cold at first, but when their father mentioned throwing his humanity away they shared a brief glance that conveyed their worries. She gave them a soft reassuring nod, showing she was on their side. 

Tenzin let out a sad sigh. “I’ve failed in every way. We’ve lost Jinora forever.”

Kya looked up at her brother. “There’s still a chance. They didn’t get Bumi,” she pointed out.

At her words, he let out a groan and hung his head. “Spirits help us.”

* * *

To everyone’s surprise but Kya’s, Bumi was actually able to rescue everybody. Kya threw her arms around her older brother after he freed her. She knew people, herself included, had underestimated him and made herself a promise to never do so again. She looked up as the group began discussing plans about what to do next. 

As they walked towards Oogi, she hung behind to walk next to Bumi. “I have some news for you,” she said softly. 

He raised an eyebrow. “What happened? Did someone die, get married, or get pregnant?”

“Well...one of those is partially correct,” she said, twirling a piece of hair between her fingers. “I proposed to Lin last night and she accepted. Soon, I’ll be Kya Beifong.” 

Bumi picked her up in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you Ky! You deserve this happiness. Please don’t doubt that you’re worth it” he said, pressing a loving kiss to her forehead. 

She smiled at him. “That’s the plan,” she said as they hurried to hop on the saddle. 

“What was that about?” Tenzin asked.

“Just an update on my love life,” she said with a smirk. 

Mako looked at her in surprise. “Did you…” He subtly wrapped his scarf around his neck, mimicking a necklace to ask his question.

“Yeah, I did,” she said with a laugh. 

“Okay, what the fuck is going on?” Korra asked. “I feel like I’m missing out on something.”

“Just...getting closer with a certain lady back home,” she said.

Asami gasped. “Is that the one that we helped you dress up on a date for?”

“Yes actually! Things have been hectic, but as soon as we do another date like that, I’ll come to you two for fashion advice,” she said with a smile.

Korra turned to Tenzin, face hardening with resolve. “Once we're inside, you go find Jinora. Mako and Bolin will take care of Unalaq, while I close the portal so Vaatu can't escape.”

Bolin’s face paled. “Wait a second. Worst-case scenario: so we're fighting Unalaq, you close the portals and let's just say _something_ happens to you. Are we going to be trapped in there for eternity?” he asked, voice slightly wavering.

“If everything goes as planned, we'll all walk out together after Harmonic Convergence. If not …” She shook her head, as if dispelling the negative thoughts from her mind. “Let's go.”

Everyone hopped off Oogi and ran towards the portal. Kya felt her anxiety turn into adrenaline, concern for her family fueling her stride. A massive group of spirits and that massive shithead glared at them, ready for a fight. 

“Tenzin, go find Jinora!” Korra cried out before turning and heading into the Avatar state.

“C'mon!” Tenzin called. 

She followed her brothers as they ran to find Jinora. Hopefully, they would find her niece before it was too late. 

* * *

Kya felt panic surge within her. Why was she tied to these two men she hadn’t seen before? 

“Who are you two?” she asked. She moved to untie herself and get away. _Get away, get away, get away._

“Kya, we're your brothers. You must remember, before the fog infects you,” the bald one said, holding her hand to stop her.

She felt panic rise within her at that word. **_Family._** The last time she felt that way, she was left behind. A daughter who couldn’t fit in. A daughter who was a disgrace and ran off to avoid her feelings. She was a second priority. There’s a reason she had a vision to lose everything then.

“No, you're just a vision. I have no family. You can't tie me down,” she screamed at both the man and herself before losing herself in the fog.

She ran off, heart beating fast. Her vision became spotted and her throat became hoarse from screaming. It felt like no one ever loved her. She was alone, but better to be alone than tied down.

At that thought, the image of a betrothal necklace came to her. A map of pale skin she memorized. Green eyes that sparkled like the emeralds around her neck. Two scars that showed the pain she fought through. Kya knew this woman meant something, but…

But what if that’s why she was afraid to be alone? _Visions of yelling came back to mind. Slamming of an apartment door, tears at the Air Temple Island, therapy sessions with a faceless woman she couldn’t remember._

What if this woman...broke her? She had opened up, what if she got hurt? She couldn’t be tied down. _Get away, get away, get away._

  
  


The next thing she knew, there was a guiding hand on her shoulder. She stumbled out of the dense fog, dragged along by the bald man from before. The other man was there along with a young girl.

She shook her head, clearing her mind of the confusion. She let out a soft groan before thankfully recognizing everyone near her. 

“Huh? What happened?” Bumi asked.

She let out a soft laugh. “I think our brother saved us.”

“Dad,” Jinora cried out, reaching for her father.

Tenzin swept her into a tight hug “You'll be okay sweetie. I'm here.”

While her brother talked with her niece, Bumi placed a hand on her shoulder. “How did you deal with it? I got sent back to the shit I’ve seen while serving.”

“My...abandonment fears came in. Bum, I forgot Lin. I knew her and I recognized this woman meant something but I-” 

A tear rolled down her face. “I forgot her name. I didn’t know she was my betrothed. Shit, I hate myself for it.”

Bumi wiped the tear off of her face. “It’s not your fault Ky. You remember her now and that’s what matters.”

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. The two siblings quickly joined in on the family hug, needing love right now. Kya smiled and let herself soak in the love from her brothers and niece. 

They quickly ran to the Tree of Time, her heart freezing at the sight she saw. She had to help her kids, consequences be damned. Seeing her kid’s unresponsive bodies threw her into healer mode. She didn’t know when she began to think of Korra, Bolin, and Mako as her kids, but that’s a problem for a future Kya. First priority: her kids. Second priority: kick Korra’s pathetic excuse of an uncle in the nuts and murder him for fucking with her wedding plans.

She quickly placed them in the spirit water before fully focusing on healing. Korra woke up and the poor girl was broken. She was in so much pain but she pushed through even though her aura was screaming in pain. It made Kya’s heart break.

Kya walked up to Tenzin. “She needs you now, more than ever,” she said gently. 

She watched her brother go after Korra. Somehow, she knew everything would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah.....i did that. I have no words tbh. This was a VERY long chapter but super fun to write! I hope y'all enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it!!
> 
> IN CASE YOU CAN'T TELL: I hate Unalaq. I would PAY to punch this bitch, especially for fucking with a Kyalin wedding <3
> 
> I have many ideas for a new chapter, so y'all may get another one before Sunday :D 
> 
> Instagram: @bidisastervibes


	31. I Will Endure as Long as I Have You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin comes up with an idea for an engagement gift for Kya. She also makes her final decision on what she will carve for the charm that'll hang on Kya's necklace. Kya and Lin reassure an anxious Korra that she did well and deserves love. After a nice reunion, Kya confesses through tears what happened in the Fog of Lost Souls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: ah yes short chapter let's go! *4000+ words later* FUCK
> 
> There is smut in this chapter! Please skip the section in between the two lines if you aren't wanting to read that. A lot of important heartfelt talk happens at the end so be sure you don't accidentally skip it :D
> 
> Enjoy <3

Lin let out a frustrated sigh, running her hands down her face. She had been trying to think of an idea for what to create for Kya, but she couldn’t think of anything. She was definitely taking Mako’s suggestion of a charm for her necklace, but she wanted to do more. 

She stood up and began pacing around her apartment. The Dark Avatar had caused a lot of destruction to Republic City. Korra did her best, but he still caused a good bit of damage. The past few days had been filled with constant stress and paperwork. The only reason she was even home was at Saikhan’s insistence. 

Lin let out a sigh as she looked in the mirror. She loved wearing her necklace but she really didn’t want to deal with all the questions about it. She decided to throw on a simple turtleneck to cover the necklace. She was going to run by the market and see if she could find some platinum for the charm. The plan was to originally use steel, but she didn’t want a bendable metal hanging around Kya’s neck. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought while she thought of a design and locked up the apartment as she left. 

She walked down the streets to the market, keeping an eye on the crowds. An idea came to her as she saw Aang’s statue. She remembered how fiercely Kya wanted to take her last name, so she could carve the Beifong seal on her charm. With her plan in mind, she arrived at the market and began browsing the stalls. 

One vendor smiled at her as she walked by. “Hello dear, what are you looking for?” he asked, polishing a metal sculpture.

“I’m just looking for some platinum and steel,” she replied. 

“Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Lee and I sell metal sculptures I’ve made. I also have a shit ton of random metal scraps. What is this going to be used for, if I may be so nosy?” he asked.

“Ah, it’ll be used for an engagement gift,” Lin said, a faint blush staining her cheeks.

“That’s exciting! What’s the plan?” Lee asked, looking at his metal critically.

“Just a small charm to hang from her necklace. The main charm will be platinum with a small steel ring to attach it. I’m trying to think of another idea, but I’m stuck on what to do,” she said. 

Lee hummed in thought as he picked up a piece of circular platinum and steel for her. “Well, I would recommend a blanket. In my town, it was custom for one to create or commission a unique blanket as an engagement gift. Just an idea,” he said, putting the metal scraps in a bag. “That’ll be forty yen.”

She handed him the money. “Thank you for the idea. I’ll look into it,” she said, taking the bag of metal. She tied the small drawstring ball to the loop on her pants so her hands were free. 

As she walked down the streets, she thought about Lee’s suggestion for a blanket. It would be really useful for Kya, considering how much she traveled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small shop advertising fine clothes and weaving. The image of a jasmine flower and thread drew her in and called to her. 

She walked into the small shop, the smell of fabric and dye flooding her nostrils. She walked up to the counter to see an older balding woman. 

“Hello, welcome to the Spinning Jasmine. My name is Kani, how can I help you?” the woman asked. 

“Hi. Would it be possible for me to commission a custom piece?” she asked, heart racing.

Kani smiled at her. “Of course! What were you thinking of?” she asked, bringing out a piece of paper to sketch on.

“I want to commission an engagement gift for my fiancée. I was thinking of getting her a blanket,” Lin said, a blush on her cheeks. 

“I’m happy for you dear. I wish you and your betrothed many blessings. Now, what design were you thinking of?” the woman asked.

“We’ve always been connected to all four nations so I was thinking of having all something with the original benders. I don’t really have a great idea,” she admitted.

Kani hummed and quickly began sketching. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she quickly sketched out the design. 

“Alright, tell me your thoughts,” she said, handing the design to Lin.

“It’s perfect,” she said, throat tight with emotion. Kani had drawn all of the animals with their corresponding element symbol. 

“I’m glad you like it dear. How would you like it made? Can you think of anything that your betrothed might want added to the blanket?” she asked.

“Would it be possible to add a soft fur layer? She has family in the Southern Water Tribe and can travel a lot, so I want her to be warm.”

Kani nodded. “Sounds perfect! It’ll have a blend of cotton and silk for the design with a soft wool underlayer. The middle will be stuffed with fur to keep her warm, but the wool will keep her from overheating. Is that good with you?” she asked.

“Yeah, that sounds amazing. How much will it be?” she asked.

“It’ll cost 400 yen. Is that okay?” 

Lin opened up her wallet and handed her the money. “Honestly a gift like this is priceless, thank you so much. When do you think it’ll be done?” 

Kani tapped her foot while she thought. “Maybe a week max. I should hopefully finish it before then, but we’ll see what happens.”

Lin nodded and flashed a smile of gratitude. She left the shop when she noticed Korra. “Hey, I didn’t know you guys came back in,” she said. 

“Yeah, we just got in,” she said, a sad look coming over her face.

Lin placed a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for all you did. The city would have been fucked without you.”

Korra looked up in surprise. “Damn, the great Chief Beifong _can_ curse!” At Lin’s eyeroll, her expression sobered up. “Thank you. I still feel guilty. I was stupid for trusting Unalaq.”

Lin hesitated, thinking of how to phrase this in a way that didn’t reveal her sister. She hated talking about family, but Korra needed reassurance. “Well, I made a similar mistake. I...I have made some unwise decisions about family but…” 

Her voice trailed off. “We all make mistakes Korra. You may be the Avatar, but you’re human too. Come on and walk with me. You need to stop moping,” she said gently.

Korra looked up at her in surprise. “Are...are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Korra, you have never been a burden and never will be. Yeah, you’ve been a pain in my ass,” she said with a chuckle, smiling at Korra’s small laugh. “But you’ve never been a burden. Come on now, I’m sure Kya’s waiting for us.”

Korra hesitated, but followed her as Lin walked back to the apartment. The two walked in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Lin opened up the door to the apartment building, guiding her to her home. 

Kya looked up with a surprised look on her face as the two walked in. “Hey you two! I’m just trying to figure out dinner.”

“I made some halibut stew last night. We can reheat that or order some takeout, whatever you two want,” Lin said. 

“I’ll reheat the stew. You two just relax,” Kya said with a smile.

“If anything, you two should be the ones relaxing,” the police chief said with a sigh. “You and Korra go sit on the couch. I’ll make some tea.”

Korra looked at her with a surprised look. “I can do something. You don’t need to be nice to me. I’m intruding on your home.”

“Kid, you deserve kindness. Kya and I don’t mind you being here and we _want_ to be kind to you. Go relax,” Lin said, using a soft but commanding voice. She turned on the radio and began softly humming along.

Korra hesitated but joined Kya on the couch. Kya looked at the young girl with concern. “How are you feeling?” Kya asked. “You went through a lot.”

“I’m...I’m okay but I’ll get through it. I have to be okay. I _have_ to be,” Korra said.

Kya placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay to not be okay. I’ve been through a lot as well. It’s okay to be sad or hurt. You have every right to feel the way you do,” she said softly. 

Korra let out a sigh and looked at her with an exhausted expression. “I’m so tired of being like this. It’s...it’s too tiring. I hate it,” she said, tears in her eyes.

Kya pulled her into a hug. “Let’s get a nice meal in you,” she said softly. “Then maybe you’ll feel a bit better.” Korra gave a hesitant nod and Kya squeezed her tighter.

“Hey, the food’s ready,” Lin said as she stirred the stew. She pulled out three bowls and began serving the stew. 

She placed the food on the table with a loaf of bread. “Come on, let’s eat while it’s hot,” the police chief said.

Kya began eating with a contented sigh. “Damn, I really missed your cooking while we were away.”

Lin chuckled. “You were only gone for a little bit. It wasn’t like you were gone for a year.”

“Hmm, but it felt like it.”

Korra smiled. “You two are a lot closer than I realized,” she noted.

Lin looked at Kya who was barely concealing a grin. “Yeah, you could say that.”

The rest of the dinner was spent in comfortable chatter. The tension melted away in Korra’s shoulders and her tense look was replaced with a comfortable smile. She ended up staying for a little bit after dinner, but Kya and Lin didn’t mind. They knew the Avatar was more broken than she would admit.

“Thank you for everything tonight,” Korra said as she walked out the door.

“Of course. You’re always welcome here,” Lin said with a smile. 

“Be safe as you head to the island,” Kya said with a wave. 

Korra waved and left with a smile. Kya and Lin waved at her as she left. As soon as Korra shut the door, Kya pulled her into a searing kiss. Lin responded by pouring as much love as she could into the kiss. 

“I missed you so much,” Kya said, pulling Lin’s head under her chin. 

Lin’s eyes watered at her intense love. “I missed you too my love,” she said, pressing a kiss to her neck with a soft sigh.

* * *

The next thing she knew, Kya had her pinned her up against the wall. Kya let out a low growl and put a hand around her throat. 

“You should be wearing a lot less clothing right now,” she said, tightening the hand on her throat.

Most of the time, Lin wouldn’t want a hand around her throat but she _really_ liked how it felt. Lin let out a loud whimper she couldn’t hold back if she tried. “Aww look at you. You like being choked don’t you?” At Lin’s blush and feeble attempt to duck away, she tilted her head upwards to look her in the eyes. “It’s not a bad thing baby. If you like that, I will take full advantage of that.”

“I’d...I’d like that,” she admitted, hating how her voice came out in an embarrassingly high pitch.

Kya squeezed her throat tighter. “Come on, I need you right now. I’ve missed you so much and I just _need_ you on my tongue.”

Lin was content to just let her take the lead. Her mind had been so busy and loud lately. Kya’s presence quieted her mind and allowed her to finally relax. She let out a soft sigh as her fiancée gently pushed her to the bed and began taking her clothes off.

“I could tell how stressed you were during dinner. Let me take care of you,” she said, softly pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

Kya pulled her turtleneck off, smiling when she saw the necklace on your neck. “You didn’t take it off,” she said with surprise.

“I...I feel naked without it. I only take it off when I’m at work because I don’t want you to be in any danger,” she admitted softly.

Kya hummed and looked at her with a lovestruck gaze. “You’re so good for me baby,” she said softly. “I’m going to worship you tonight. It’s all about you.”

Lin let out a soft moan as she untied her wraps. She pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. “Here, let me worship you like you deserve, my sweet slut,” she said before pressing soft kisses all across her breasts.

“You feel so good under me,” she said, straddling her hips with a moan. She leaned down and gently took a pink bud between her teeth. She twisted the other nipple with her fingers, causing Lin to shake beneath her. She popped off her nipple with a wet pop and flashed a smile up at the shaking mess beneath her.

“Need you,” she said, voice already husky. “Please help me.”

“I’ve got you my love,” she said, pushing her pants down. She pressed a kiss to her hip before gently sucking a hickey. 

She ran a finger across the top line of her underwear. “You look so pretty like this. All red and flushed. Knowing it’s all for me just makes it better,” she said, gripping her throat again. She squeezed tightly, choking her but being careful not to overdo it.

Lin let out a low moan as her lover’s fingers tighten around her throat. Her lungs tightened as she struggled to breathe. Her first instinct was to panic, but she couldn’t make herself feel any panic. She trusted Kya with every fiber of her being, she would be fine.

Kya loosened the grip on her throat so she could breathe. “Look at you, being such a good little slut,” she crooned, kissing her stomach. “You just sat there and let me choke you like the good girl you are.”

Lin whined, already feeling her core tight. Her body felt warm, Kya’s skin providing a needed relief to her skin. She thrust her hips up towards Kya’s. 

“Not so fast baby,” she said. Kya ran her fingers across her clit, gently thumbing at the bundle of nerves through the fabric. Her lover let out a whine and she smirked. 

“I can feel you dripping through the fabric,” she said, palming at her through the fabric. “You’re so good for me. I love you so much.”

“Love, love you too,” she panted. She feebly reached up and grabbed at her dress. “Take this off please.”

Kya smiled and quickly took her dress off. She reached up and undid her wraps, smirking at her lover’s smile. “You’ve seen me undressed plenty of times, why do you get so smiley each time?” she asked with an amused chuckle.

“I never get tired of looking at you. You’re so pretty,” she said, looking at her in pure adoration. 

Kya’s eyes welled with tears. “I love you so much,” she said, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

“I love you too. I please need you,” she said. “Please.”

Kya smiled at her flushed face and pleading eyes. “I missed you so much,” she said. “I’ll help you my slutty princess, don’t worry.”

She pulled her underwear off of Lin before quickly shedding her own. She pressed a kiss to her stomach, lowering her head right above where Lin needed her. She smirked and pressed a kiss against her inner thigh.

Lin let out a moan as Kya finally began to lick at her clit. She squeezed her thighs around her lover’s head, causing the other woman to chuckle. She gently circled her entrance with her tongue before pulling her head back. 

“Stop teasing me,” Lin said breathlessly. 

Kya smirked and began circling her fingers around her entrance. She gently ran a finger down her folds. “You’re so wet for me. Look at you my good little slut, getting all wet for me like you should.”

Lin let out a moan and thrust her hips down into her hand. She began grinding against her palm, whining at the friction on her clit. Kya sighed and gently inserted a finger into her. At her fiancée’s needy moan, she quickly added another finger.

“You feel so good,” she said, squeezing Lin’s thigh with her free hand. “You look so pretty like this my sweet whore. Now, come apart on my fingers. I want to see your face as you cum for me like a good little slutty princess.”

Lin’s thighs began shaking as Kya curled her fingers to rub against her inner walls. “Kya,” she moaned. “Baby-” 

Her words trailed off into a high pitched whine as Kya thumbed at her clit. “Close,” she panted, hips grinding down towards her lover’s hand.

“Cum for me my sweet slut,” she said, moving her free hand up her body and twisting a nipple. “I know you can do it.”

Lin whined, feeling like she was going to explode with pleasure. The pressure in her core kept building, Kya’s dirty praise and fingers quickly sending her to the edge. “Kya,” she panted, moaning her fiancée’s name as she came.

“Look at you being so good for me,” Kya said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. She pressed a hot kiss against her lips before licking a stripe down her neck. She sucked a hickey at her pulse point, smirking at the moan she got in response.

She pressed a kiss to the dark mark before leaving a hot trail of kisses down her body. She smirked as she made eye contact with Lin before lowering her head down. She rolled her clit between her teeth, letting out a pleased hum at the whimpers she received in response. 

She began fucking her with her tongue, attacking her with ruthless pleasure. It wasn’t long before Lin’s thighs were clenched tight under her hands, a telltale sign of her imminent orgasm. She picked up the pace, quickly pulling an orgasm out of her. 

She picked her head up and smirked at the blissed out look on Lin’s face. “Please,” Lin said, voice hoarse from screaming out in pleasure. “Please, get off for me.”

“You are so fucking amazing,” she said. She ran a hand along her inner thigh. Kya felt herself get even more turned on by her fiancée’s intense gaze. She let out a soft sigh as she finally thumbed at her clit.

“You were so good,” she panted, quickly beginning to finger herself. “You looked so pretty under me. You were such, such a good slut.”

Kya looked her lover dead in the eyes as she rushed towards her orgasm. She moaned out Lin’s name, murmuring constant praise as she came. She slumped forward and leaned on Lin’s chest, just snuggling up to her. 

She pressed a soft kiss to her collarbone, too blissed out to move towards her face. “Love you.”

“Love you too. Come on, let’s get showered,” Lin said, picking her up. 

* * *

Kya sighed contentedly as Lin carried her bridal style to the shower. The shorter woman worked shampoo into her hair and massaged her scalp. The two showered in content silence, just soaking in each other’s presence. 

After Lin had rinsed out the conditioner in her hair, Kya bent the water off of both of them. Lin grabbed her hand and led her back to the bed, gently pushing her down.

“You always take care of me, let me take care of you,” she said softly. Kya nodded and laid down, smiling as she felt Lin’s strong hands on her back. All of the tension and stress in her body melted away as her fiancée massaged her shoulders, helping work out all of the soreness in her muscles. 

“You know, I got you part of your gift today,” Lin said softly. “I know you said I don’t need to get you anything but I want to.”

“Baby, you’ve given me everything I could ever want. I love you and I know I’ll love anything you get for me,” Kya said, turning her head to gaze at Lin with pure adoration.

Lin pressed a soft, tender kiss to her lips before climbing off her back. She got under the sheets and pressed herself against Kya’s chest, using her as a pillow.

“Why do you like to sleep on me?” Kya asked, running a hand through her gray hair, still damp from the shower.

“I like hearing your heartbeat. I always know if you’re okay or not because of seismic sense but...I prefer hearing it instead,” Lin said softly, leaning her head up to press a kiss to her jawline.

Kya smiled and pulled her closer to her chest. “I love having you sleep on me. It’s like an extra blanket, but a super sexy, strong blanket.”

Lin rolled her eyes. “Well nice to know that you’re marrying me because I’m strong and sexy. At least you aren’t after my riches.”

“Ah, the riches are just an added bonus,” Kya said, both women laughing. She wrapped her arms around Lin’s body, the other woman using her as a pillow.

“I really missed you. I don’t know what you’ve heard but I-” Kya’s voice trailed off as her eyes filled with tears. Lin immediately picked herself up and placed a loving hand on her face. “I got so scared, baby.”

“There’s-” She took a deep breath and turned away from her hand, trying to find the courage to keep talking. “I got lost in the Fog of Lost Souls. I...I couldn’t remember anything. I was so scared of being tied down. I forgot my _brothers_ Lin but I didn’t forget you. I saw your face, the necklace, and had memories but I _couldn’t_ recognize them.”

She let out a sob as Lin pulled her into a tight hug. “I saw you but I couldn’t remember your name. I didn’t know we were engaged and I got _scared._ I was so scared of being alone and...and opening up because it meant pain. I-” 

She broke down in tears, she couldn’t keep talking. It was too much, she couldn’t handle it. She expected Lin to turn away and tell her to get it together, tough it out, she should be better. Her heart raced as she fell down a negative spiral of thinking.

Lin’s heart broke in half. She knew her fiancée was spiraling and did the only thing she could think of. She pressed a soft kiss to Kya’s lips, hoping to drag her out of her spiral. She held her tight and murmured soft reassurances.

“Kya, you don’t have to be alone anymore,” she said, placing her hand on her face again. “I am going to be here for you. It’s like you said: you don’t have to suffer alone anymore. I love you Kya and I won’t leave you.”

The dark woman looked up at her, clarity in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, voice breaking. “You shouldn’t have to deal with me being like this.”

“I want to,” Lin said. “I _want_ to deal with you being like this. I want to be here for you no matter what. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I can’t lose you.”

Kya smiled and pulled her in. Lin placed her forehead against hers, smiling at the pure love that surrounded her. After Kya’s heart rate returned to normal, she laid back down on her chest. She snuggled up to her fiancée, the waterbender wrapping her arms around her. The two fell asleep, silently giving the other the strong promise of their love. No matter what happened, they would have each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art credits to nalrishadraws! I found the art here: https://www.threadless.com/shop/@nalshiradraws/design/avatar-original-benders/home/fine-art-print
> 
> If that's not the right artist please tell me.
> 
> Also! Y'all on Instagram decided to have a post S3 wedding! If you want to have a say in what happens in the story, be sure to check out my Instagram! I will try and make more polls for y'all to choose, it's fun for me to see what y'all want :D
> 
> Thank you guys so much for the love and support. It's incredible and I really appreciate it. It's insane to think this story has a little under 6500 hits!! It's insane and I love y'all so much
> 
> Instagram: @bidisastervibes  
> Twitter: @bidisastervibes


	32. The Moon Watches With Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya and Lin have a soft, loving morning. Kya goes shopping with Asami and Korra and reveals her engagement to the two. They help her prepare for her date, and Lin gives her fiancée one of her betrothal gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR THE BREAK IN UPDATES!! I had an identity crisis and was very overwhelmed. I finally realized that I'm nonbinary and am okay with all pronouns. I've also been stressed out with calculus and just school in general. 
> 
> Important note: I have so many other ideas that I want to work on. Right now, I have a Metal Clan/Old Wounds Kyalin rewrite in my Google Docs that I'm working on in addition to my fics. As I take on more ideas and write more, updates may slow a bit. If you follow me on Instagram, you can get a more clear idea of when I'll be updating! 
> 
> Enjoy <3

The next morning, Lin let out a soft curse as she woke up. Kya had wrapped her arms around her during the night and was holding her close. She carefully got out of her lover’s grip and quietly walked out of the bedroom, praying to the spirits that Kya would stay asleep.

She walked over to her bookshelf, carefully moving aside a few books to reveal a chisel and drawstring bag. She grabbed the drawstring bag with her pieces platinum and steel. She grabbed the chisel, getting used to the feeling of the wooden handle sitting comfortably in her hand. She put the chisel tip on the platinum, but paused as a new idea came into her head.

She still struggled under the weight of the Beifong name. Kya knew this, and wanted to take her name to help her carry the load. Kya’s words rang in her mind, _you don’t have to be alone anymore._

The metalbender let out a small smile as she began carving the Beifong family seal. She was originally going to do a design similar to Kya’s, but knew her girlfriend would appreciate the promise behind the Beifong seal. 

She kept tabs on Kya with her seismic sense as she began carving. Kya had an emotionally draining night last night and Lin knew she would probably stay asleep for a while. Kya always slept in after having a draining night, typically due to a spiral. Thankfully, the sessions with Li Meiza reduced the frequency of those nights.

She began sketching out the flying boar seal before carefully carving. She lost track of time as she etched the metal, taking care to make sure it was as perfect as possible. Her fiancée deserved nothing less than perfect, no matter what said fiancée thought. 

She placed the chisel and drawstring back in her hiding spot as she heard Kya wake up. She walked over to the kitchen and began a pot of tea, knowing her lover would appreciate it. She walked over to the bedroom, smiling softly at the sight of Kya’s features outlined in the golden morning light.

“Morning sleepyhead,” Lin said, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

“Why did you get up?” she asked, pouting.

Lin laughed at her lover’s face. “I was working on your gift and getting the tea ready baby.”

“I told you, you don’t need to make or get me anything,” Kya said, getting out of bed and wrapping her arms around Lin’s waist.

“I know. I want to Kya. You deserve the world, let me spoil you like you deserve,” she said, leaning her head back against Kya’s.

“Stop being so damn sappy in the morning. My brain hasn’t woken up yet and I can’t reply the way I want,” she said.

Lin smiled. “Come on, I got some tea ready,” she said, grabbing her hand. Lin led them out to the kitchen and Kya bent the tea into two mugs on the counter.

“Alright so I took today off,” Lin said. At Kya’s shocked expression, she ducked her head and blushed. “I wanted to just spend the day with you.”

Kya’s heart melted. “I love you so much,” she said, tears of appreciation in her eyes. She had no idea how she managed to get a fiancée as loving as Lin, but she thanked the spirits for her everyday. 

“I love you too,” she replied, taking a sip of her tea. “I know we don’t normally get to do dates, so do you want to do one tonight? I remember that one time you went and got ready with Asami and Korra.”

Kya looked at her in shock. “You took the day off though. I should be spending it with you,” she argued.

“I want you to do something that makes you happy,” Lin replied, placing a hand on her face. “Plus, I want to finish up the gift I’m working on for you.”

Kya smiled. “The spirits gave me such an amazing fiancée,” she said, leaning her head against Lin’s shoulder.

“Just remember that the next time you get annoyed at me for coming home late,” Lin replied dryly, placing a kiss to her silver hair.

“Oh no, nothing can stop me from being mad at spending less time with my strong, sexy earthbender,” she said.

“And I love spending time with my hot hippy,” Lin said with a smirk.

Kya laughed and hit her on the arm. “I may be older physically, but you’re an old bitch mentally.”

Lin picked up an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter and threw it at her head. Kya let out an offended gasp before racing at her. Lin laughed as Kya began playfully fighting with her, responding with a gleeful joy as she gently fought.

The two women laughed, feeling the love between them deepen even more. Before long, they collected themselves together and exchanged a soft loving kiss.

“You really want me to do that? You want me to spend time with Korra and Asami?” Kya asked, still in shock a bit. She would have assumed Lin would want her to herself on her day off.

“Yes, I’m sure baby. I have you to myself enough and want you to have some fun before we head to Kwong’s,” she said with a smile. “If you want, we can go out for breakfast too.”

“I am being spoiled today,” the waterbender said.

“You deserve nothing less,” Lin replied softly. 

Kya’s heart swelled with love. “Alright,” she said softly, placing a kiss on Lin’s cheek. “Let’s get dressed and go about our days then.”

Lin nodded and walked her back to their room, both quickly getting dressed. Kya brought her bag with her, knowing she would be bringing her purchases home later that night. The two enjoyed a nice breakfast together, just sitting and quietly talking. After finishing their meal, Lin placed a brief kiss on her cheek before leaving, leaving a blushing mess of a waterbender behind her.

Kya waited until her face returned to normal before leaving and began walking towards Air Temple Island. When Korra had come over for dinner, she noticed that the girl seemed more withdrawn and sad than normal. She just hoped that a day with her and potentially Asami would make Korra feel normal again.

She stepped off the ferry and waved at Korra. “Hey!” she said excitedly, wrapping the girl in a hug.

“Hey, it’s good to see you,” Korra replied, squeezing her back. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I remembered how you felt a bit off when you came over for dinner last night. Tonight I’m going on another big date and I thought we could do what we did last time, go shopping and maybe meet up with Asami. If you’re not there mentally, it’s okay. I get it,” she said, not wanting to pressure Korra.

“No, that sounds amazing! Come on, we can take Naga to Asami’s and see if she’s free,” Korra said, whistling for her polar bear dog. The two women hopped on Naga and raced towards the Sato estate. 

They walked in, hoping Asami was home. “Hey Salami, are you here?” Korra called.

They heard some crashing upstairs. “Yeah, just a second,” she replied. 

A minute later, Asami stood at the top of the staircase with disheveled hair. “Hey,” she said with a smile, dressed in a white tank top and loose black pants, reminding Kya of her Lin. “Come on up here.”

Kya and Korra walked up the stairs towards her. “What was that crash?” Kya asked.

“Well, I’m working on a new engine for the Satomobile and I dropped my tools,” she said, guiding them into her room. Like the previous time they were here, half the room was covered in blueprints, random parts and tools. 

“Sorry for the mess, it’s been hectic since Varrick was exposed,” she said. 

“I get it, it’s okay if it’s messy. We don’t care,” Kya said softly.

The girl smiled at her. “Alright, let me just change out of my inventing clothes and into my normal ones,” she said, picking up her normal clothing and going into the bathroom. 

“So what’s the plan for today? I remember last time we got together it was to get you ready for a date,” Asami said through the bathroom door.

“Well, that was the plan if you were free today. Shit’s been chaotic lately, but I promise we’ll hang out soon without me going on a date,” Kya said with a laugh.

“So is this with the same girlfriend?” Korra asked.

“Well, not exactly ‘girlfriend’ anymore,” Kya said with a blush.

Asami threw the bathroom door open and came out, fully dressed. “Kya, did you get engaged?” Asami asked in shock.

She blushed. “Yeah, I did,” she said softly.

Korra picked her up in a hug and spun her in an excited circle. “I’m so happy for you Ky!”

Kya laughed and hugged both of the girls. “Thank you both for everything. I just have a favor to ask,” she said. “Please promise not to say anything about my relationship status change to _anyone_ , including Tenzin.”

“Of course, but if you don’t mind me asking can you explain why?” Korra said, confused.

“My fiancée is a very high profile person. We want to keep our relationship as much of a secret as possible. It’s...it’s really complicated but it’s for our safety. If someone learned about me-”

“They would come after you to get to her,” Asami finished for her. At Kya’s nod, her face took on an understanding look. “Of course we won’t say anything Kya. Thank you for trusting us with this. Now come on, let’s go shopping!”

The trio hopped into Asami’s Satomobile, smiling and excitedly chattering while driving. Kya smiled and looked over at Korra sitting next to Asami in the front. She noticed the tension that had melted away from her shoulders and the carefree joy on Korra’s face.

They stopped and hopped out of the car, stopping outside the Brown Cat Deer. The trio got out of the car and walked in. They began browsing through the racks together when Kya spotted a beautiful light blue dress with an open back. She picked it up and walked over to Korra.

“Okay, I think this would look incredible on you,” she said, handing the dress to Korra.

Korra looked at it with a frown. “I don’t know...the back is pretty open.”

“If you want to try it on, you can,” Asami said. “I’m sure you’d look incredible.”

Korra ducked her head and blushed. _Hmm...interesting._ “Alright, I’ll try it on,” she said, walking into the dressing room. 

She walked out nervously. “How does it look?” she asked, turning in a circle.

“Holy shit Korra you look amazing,” Asami said. 

“The blue looks good on you and you can show off those muscles,” Kya said. 

Korra looked in the mirror and smiled. “Alright, I’ll get it,” she said, heading back to change into her normal clothes. She walked back out with the dress slung over her arms.

Asami held up a black dress with stars. “Kya, this would look amazing on you,” she said. 

Kya held the dress and looked at it. “I like it! Let me try it on. Be sure to find something for yourself too Asami,” she said, heading to the dressing room. She walked out and spun for the two in a circle, smiling at the applause she got. 

“You look amazing!” Korra said.

“You need to get it, your fiancée is going to swoon when she sees you,” Asami said.

Kya smiled and changed back into her normal clothes. Before long, they found a skin tight maroon dress that looked amazing on Asami. Kya looked out of the corner of her eye to see Korra’s reaction to Asami. The girl had an awestruck look on her face. _Ah, to be questioning my sexuality again. The identity crisis sucked but it was very nice watching pretty girls._

The group walked out of the store after Kya grabbed a pair of black heels, excitedly catching up on what’s happened since the last time they got together. They put their purchases in the back of the Satomobile and went back to Asami’s. 

“Come on, let’s do your hair!” Asami said as they walked upstairs with the bags. 

“We should put half of it up,” Korra said.

“That sounds good to me,” Kya said, letting the girls do whatever they wanted to her hair. After a few minutes, they had pulled half of her hair up into a beautiful bun, letting the rest of her silver hair flow down her shoulders. 

“Okay, here,” Asami said, handing her a tube of lipstick. “I think this red lipstick will tie everything together.”

Kya put it on and was shocked at how it looked. “Spirits, I like it,” she said with a smile. “I normally go for more subtle but this looks amazing.”

She walked into Asami’s bathroom and changed, sliding the dress on. She looked in the mirror, admiring how the black dress hugged her body but the sheer layer with stars was loose and flowy. She slipped on the heels, folding her normal clothes and placing them with her shoes in her bag. 

She walked out and laughed at their awestruck looks. “Guys, I don’t look that great.”

“You look amazing Kya!” Asami argued.

“That outfit is going to make your fiancée drool,” Korra said with a nod.

Kya blushed and ducked her head. They all sat on Asami’s bed and began sharing gossip. 

“Okay, so I heard that Bolin had another run in with that Ginger actress,” Korra said.

“Spirits, what happened?” Kya asked.

“So, she went up to him and basically was like ‘oh Bolin, why aren’t you seeing me anymore?’ Bolin just went ‘Because you were toxic and made me feel like I was insignificant.’ Needless to say, she wasn’t happy but couldn’t go to the press because they worship him,” Korra said with a laugh.

“As they should. Bolin is so sweet,” Asami said.

“Agreed. Also, I can tell you two are dying to ask, so go ahead and ask about my fiancée,” Kya said with a smile.

“Okay, so is she a bender?” Asami asked.

“Yep! She’s a super talented earthbender,” she said. 

“Is planning to come out publicly? I know Republic City is more open than other places, but it can still be harsh,” Korra said.

Kya hummed in thought. “Honestly, probably not. She likes to keep her private life private. We may go public with our relationship in the future, but for now that’s not the plan. We’ll take things as they come.”

“That makes sense. The press is worse than a shirsu after a scent,” Asami said with a shudder. “They are brutal and relentless. I’ve had security catch reporters trying to break in more than once in order to get information for a story.”

“That’s why Mom kept us out of the public spotlight,” Kya said. “She didn’t want us to be subject to that judgement and as a result, we had a pretty normal childhood and adulthood. They did a lot for us.”

They continued to talk until Kya looked at the time. “Okay, I loved seeing you girls, but I need to go on my date,” she said, grabbing her bag.

“Come on, I can take you there,” Korra said. “Naga is probably itching to get out. Do you want to tag along Asami?”

“No, I’m good. I just had an idea I want to sketch out for the engine. If you want to come back, Korra, my door is always open for you,” Asami said with a smile.

Korra blushed. “Thanks Sami,” she said. “Come on Kya, let’s go.”

The two walked outside and hopped onto Naga. “Alright, where are you going?”

“I don’t know how she managed to do it, but she got us a date at Kwong’s.”

“Oh, fancy fancy,” Korra said.

Kya laughed. “She said she wanted to spoil me tonight.”

“You two are so cute. I hope I’ll find someone like that in the future,” Korra said, quiet enough to barely be heard as Naga ran.

“You’ll find your person. It took us years to get together, love can’t be rushed. Love will come for you when you’re ready, I’m sure of it Korra.” 

“Thanks Kya,” she said.

“Of course Korra. Anytime you want to see me, you can always swing by the apartment or Air Temple Island,” she said.

Korra made Naga come to a stop and helped Kya off.

“Thank you for everything tonight,” Kya said, wrapping her in a hug.

“Thank you for making nights like this possible,” Korra replied. She waved goodbye as Korra hopped on Naga and ran off.

Kya looked up as Lin walked up to her. Her fiancée was clad in a black suit jacket and button up, but had her black shirt unbuttoned enough to reveal an olive green shirt. Kya smiled as Lin walked up to her, heels clicking on the concrete. Her heart swelled when she realized Lin was wearing her betrothal necklace.

“You look beautiful tonight babe,” she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“You look beautiful in that dress,” Lin replied, linking her arm through hers.

Kya blushed as Lin led them into the restaurant. No matter how much time Kya spent with Lin, every touch still felt electrifying. The two sat down at their table and talked as dinner was served to them.

“Alright so I stopped by the city hall today and spoke to a judge friend,” Lin said. “He said he can conduct the marriage ceremony whenever we’re ready, we just need witnesses which we have with Saikhan, Yamo, and Bumi.”

“We should wait a little bit,” Kya said. At Lin’s surprised look, she rushed to explain herself. “Baby, after we get married I want you all to myself. I was thinking we should wait a bit so you have time to request time off for our honeymoon.”

“I got scared for a second that you changed your mind,” Lin admitted sheepishly.

“Baby, I won’t leave you. I’m excited to be Kya Beifong, we just have to wait for the right timing,” she said, lacing their hands together. 

Lin smiled and lifted their hands up, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she said softly. 

After enjoying a romantic dinner together, Lin grabbed her hand and let her to Republic City Park. Kya looked at her in surprise as Lin suddenly stopped while they were in the middle of the bridge.

Lin reached into her jacket pocket. “Can you hand me your necklace? I need it for my gift,” she said, holding a small bag. Kya nodded and took the necklace off.

“Turn around baby,” Lin said with a chuckle. Kya let out a fake irritated sigh as she turned around. “Alright, you can look.”

Kya turned around and gasped. “I wanted to make you a necklace but I knew how much you loved this one,” Lin said softly. “I bent a small hole to attach the charm. It’s on a steel ring so I can bend it on and off as you want.”

Kya’s eyes watered. “Baby, did you carve this by hand?” she asked, running a finger across the charm with the Beifong seal.

“Yeah, I used platinum so it couldn’t be bent around your neck,” Lin said softly. 

Kya handed her the necklace, silently asking for her to put it on. Lin fastened the necklace to her neck, letting out a soft smile when she was done. 

Kya threw her arms around her and pulled her into a searing kiss. The two women lovingly kissed, silently solidifying their promise to marriage. The moon smiled down at the sight, the true love radiating off of the two making Yue smile. The two embraced with no audience but the Moon Spirit lovingly watching over them, softly washing the scene in silver light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I included a picture so y'all can see the idea in my head! I can't draw the Beifong seal in a small circle like that, so just imagine it's there lol. I wanted to add in a bit of Yue because she deserves it and it just fit the scene. I really hope y'all enjoyed this chapter <3
> 
> Instagram: @bidisastervibes  
> Twitter: @bidisastervibes

**Author's Note:**

> Lin: instead of dealing with my problems, I will simply suppress my feelings. No feelings, no problem right? *cue gay panic*


End file.
